Submission

I think most people cringe at the word submission. It's a word that potentially detracts from their pride or supposed authority in this world. Merriam-Webster even defines the word as: "an act of submitting to the authority or control of another." What many may not realize is that submission is key to their Christian faith and relationship with Jesus.
We are taught to worship God and to give Him all praise. This in itself is submission. We must humble ourselves to approach the Cross of Christ, realizing that we are broken humans in need of a Savior. Without submission, there is no way to accept Christ into our hearts. Those who can't submit choose to covet material objects and seek pleasure to fill the void that only submission to Christ can begin to fill.
Some might be afraid to submit because it means a loss of control. What we need to all realize, though, is that we aren't in control in the first place. God created each and every one of us for a special purpose. Without making the decision to follow the ways of Jesus, we are left to aimlessly wander through existence on Earth. I'm not saying that once you become a Christian life will make sense. But the beginning of a true relationship with Christ involves submission and turning over control to Jesus.
What I came to realize today was that submitting is actually a form of worship. Submitting to Jesus is only the beginning, though. Being Christians means that we are servants to the Lord and that we are called to serve those around us. This is sometimes difficult because our pride tells us that we are better than other people and we subconsciously refuse to help in certain situations because we just don't feel like doing nice things for particular individuals. Selfishness plagues us and hinders our ability to submit and serve others. I'm slowly teaching myself to rid my life of this selfishness in order to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
Thankfully, Ephesians 5:21 has assisted in changing my perspective. This verse states, "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." In my personal opinion, this verse indicates that when we submit and serve other people, we are actually worshipping Jesus and giving Him glory. Worldly individuals are not likely to freely help others that they are friends with, let alone complete strangers or people that they don't care for. They choose to assist in situations where they will get something in return. As Christians, if we choose to serve others out of love even if we aren't fans of them, we shine a light into the darkness demonstrating that Jesus has control of our lives. This gives God the glory He deserves and helps us keep our eyes on Him instead of ourselves.
It won't always be easy, but over time, serving will become easier as it becomes a part of daily life. I plan on repeating Ephesians 5:21 to myself frequently in the future to remind myself that submitting to other people reveres Jesus. It will be the only way to keep selfishness from my heart and considerate to others in the future even if I find it difficult to interact with them. I must remember that everybody is a child of God and worth helping. Serving them all the best I can will help me stay grounded in my faith and the reality that God is in control and knows what is right for my life.