Submissiveness: The Heart of Genuine Obedience

by: Micah A. Tecne

As the author of book of Hebrews said that we need to obey our leaders and submit to their authority. Being under someone’s authority abhors us to follow what is instructed to us. It is a common practice to show our honor and reverence to the one who leads us. But what if we don’t agree or doubt the directions given to us and our perspectives and principles contradicts what is being instructed us to do? Are we going to do it or not? How can we still maintain a right attitude towards our leaders?
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Is it possible that we can obey and not necessarily be submissive? Yes! It is possible for us to easily do the task given to us and we can still murmur, about it and despise our leaders. And because of our wrong attitude we are not able to produce excellent outputs. We lose our motivation that is silently sabotaging the whole work entrusted to us. It is easy to obey and follow instructions but it’s a great challenge for us to maintain a good attitude and be submissive to our leaders. John Bevere stated that obedience deals with our responsive actions toward authority. Submission deals with the attitude toward authority. 

Being submissive is a heart challenge for all of us especially when our principles contradicts the directives given to us. How will we, the righteous, maintain a submissive attitude towards a wicked leader? David still respected and honored King Saul who numerously attempted to kill him recognizing the authority God placed in the latter’s life. He had the opportunities to win over the king, but he chose not to place the judgment over his hands but to the One who appointed the king. He still revered and treated Saul as the king over Israel and who was God’s appointed.

Again as John Bervere wrote that whether the authority is civil, family, church, or social, God admonishes a submissive regard to be our attitude, and we are to obey in action, unless authority tells us to do what is clearly seen as sin.  We are called not to compromise but we are also admonished to still honor those who are in authority. The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to obey the verdict of the wicked King Nebuchadnezzar. They did not bow down to the kings statue as ordered given that it contradicts with their faith that enraged the king and summoned them. They still honored and revered the king as they stated their reason by speaking to him and acknowledging his position as his majesty. They were thrown into a burning furnace and miraculously, they were not burned and preserved that made the king convinced of what they stood for. Our best defense and assurance will always be a submissive heart towards the one who positioned people over us.

May it be that we will be submissive in every way as Jonathan’s armor bearer once said, “Do all that you have in mind, go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” This submissive attitude brought the two, the master and servant, to a glorious victory of killing some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. We don’t just obey , we submit!