All To Jesus

June 2009

All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give. Surrender or submission is a lofty ideal. Surrendering to Jesus is a joy with a price tag. It is fit for kings and paupers alike as New Testament amply shows.

Submission is one Christian discipline without a loophole. Every one in the church must do it (1 Peter 5:5; Ephesians 5:21). As those who walk with Jesus, we are to walk humbly, as open books, with see-through lives, and in readiness to confess our faults and make amends.  “The Way of Jesus knows no submission outside the context of mutual submission, of all to all” (cf. Phil 2:3). This is the Christian way. If your heart is tender toward Jesus, you are learning this way. It is the way of mercy and grace. It is the way of Mary, the mother of our Lord, who said “May it be according to your will.” I don’t have to wonder where Jesus first learned submission.

Not many of us make it a habit to submit to our leaders or to fellow-followers of Jesus. Not habitually anyway. Not willingly. We would rather find fault with our leaders, criticize them or even demonize them, all to escape the mandate to submit. There is no exception clause in the following commands: Obey, or be responsive, to those who have rule over you or who lead you or have oversight of the flock…  Mimic the way they follow Jesus (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:2-3).  One strong mark of leadership is the pledge to be an example of a life well lived before God and his people. Our skills and performance may take us a ways in leading people. Our character, the healthy and godly shape our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies are in will take us the rest of the way.

The other side of submission is control, a notion that some leaders wrongly believe is their God-given right. Authority is falsely interpreted as the right to control. The authority a leader has to lead is granted to him by God and is matched by the willingness of the souls he leads. Followers will always react negatively to being controlled. A heavy-handed leader may crush or drive away the flock. Let him who lead, instead, lead gently in the power of truth and mercy, which inhabit his soul. Let him put away drivenness and in its place acquire submission.

My question to you, dear reader, is this, “are you submissive?” A spiritual leader submits by being first a follower who makes it a habit to serve others. A Christian leader who does not follow by serving others is in trouble. Our Creator Lord became a servant and by taking on servanthood he raised its importance to the highest level possible. When a leader shuns notoriety, you are in the presence of a God-given humility.

Another question I raise for you to consider: Are you humble enough to let another give some direction and guidance to your growth and transformation into the image of the Son (Romans 8:29)? In Hebrews 10:25 the writer encourages mutual prodding toward perseverance in love and good works. Leaders serve others and give of themselves. Unless they are also receiving from others the balance of give and take is off.

How then do we learn submission? Is there a training regimen that helps us nail it down as a life habit?

1. Constantly envision that Christ-like submission is one of your life’s goals. Hide in your heart that song the early church sung as found in Philippians 2:1-11. Let the mind of Christ be in you. After you have memorized this passage, make it a daily meditation of your heart. Remind yourself constantly that you are a submissive servant before you are an influential leader.

2. Make the vision become a reality by making a strong public commitment. The truth is that if we don’t make it an intentional thing to do, submission will remain elusive. Tell people close to you that you are working on becoming a submissive person and that you are willing to be held accountable for it.

3. Use several means available to you to bolster your intentions. In other words, the means of submission must be part of your daily life. Prayer for submission to God and others daily is in order. Asking one or two colleagues to input freely into your life where they notice that you are being unsubmissive. Take your turn serving others around you on a regular basis. Examine your heart periodically to see where a spirit of independence is making its home in you.

Walking with the Master is training to be like the Master. He himself predicted that a pupil is not above his teacher but when the pupil is fully formed he will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40). Christ did the ultimate surrender. Study his life and ask His Holy Spirit to teach you. 

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