The Lost Art

DEVOTION 1 PETER THE LOST ART 1 Peter 3:1-6 3:1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. NIV What could I say that would not make me out to be a chauvinist? Yet in a cultural, in a society which has place so much attention and importance upon the equality of women in all aspects of life, this concept spoken of here may be a lost art. Has the thinking of the world infiltrated the body of Christ? Do believing women conduct themselves in their thinking and actions as the world would have them or as God would have them? This whole concept of so much attention to the outward beauty has surely diminished the idea of inner beauty, which Matthew recorded about what Jesus said about it in regard to the eyes reflecting what is inside, and what God inspired Peter to pen here. Perhaps many believing women simply cannot come to terms with being under the authority of their husbands because they have adopted the philosophy of the modern cultural of the United States. Perhaps one of the reasons believing women have so much trouble with living as God would have them, is due to the lack of men living as God would have them. Have believing men lost the art of being responsible? Have they relinquished their position of head of the house to their wives? Have they given over the raising of children in the ways of God to their wives? God is going to speak to men next, but I think it is worth consideration that this is a two way street. Both the husband and the wife may have lost the art of being the family God intends them to be. It is a fact God holds the man responsible for his family and so with responsibility comes authority. Men need to step up, and women need to step up as well, to the standard God has set. A women’s true beauty in within her, her loving caring spirit which nourishes a relationship in the home far exceeds any makeup upon her face, polish on her nails and fancy hair style on her head. A women’s true worth is in God, rather than what position she holds at some company or within this society. A women’s true worth is how God sees her rather than how other women view her.I know there are many different situations and perhaps some where men abuse their position, or even abuse their wives. This should never be tolerated, I am convinced God will judge accordingly. But it still remains God desires women to live in a manner which pleases him. I hope believing women have not lost this art.