Subject to or Submission Part 1

If you were reading carefully yesterday, you noticed the phrase "subject to" in the scripture and in the definitions. I don't know about you but when I first read that, the definition bit me! I think my pride swelled so that I could have spit!
To so many women the word "submission" is a bad word. I think mostly it's just used badly. Many words can be a weapon of mass destruction if used in malice or a way to "lord over" someone. To hear my husband yell at me "Submit!" was enough to send me the polar opposite direction and try even more so to rule him (...yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. Gen 3:16). I believe over time he and I learned more about what position we are to stand in and he no longer reminds me to submit. Now I hold that position as something I want to do to be honorable before God.
There have been a few who say to not submit so much to our husbands that we may lose our identities. I beg to differ on this, the word says, ... and they will become one flesh. Gen 2:24. He is my identity and I am his. We are each other in essence (something that exists; in particular, a spiritual entity). Though we are separate we operate as a whole in so many areas of our lives we just can't help but identify each other.
One of my most favorite fairy tales is about a woman and man who loved each other deeply. She had beautiful long hair that he admired and he played beautifully his guitar for her which she loved.  The day before they were to marry, they wanted to gift each other and she sold her hair to have it made into guitar strings and he sold his guitar to buy her a beautiful barrette for her lovely hair. Each gave up something for the other that had great worth to them. It reminds me of the passage that says for us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value (or esteem) others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Phil 2:3-4 . In this case looking out for the interests of our husbands.
I know this seems to veer away from the heavy topic of submission a bit but this is background work that leads up to learning to submit.

Word Study:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value (or esteem) others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Phil 2:3-4 

selfish -  Lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure

ambition - A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work
vain conceit- false pride

humility - Humility is the quality of being humble: modest, not proud, doing something out of the goodness of your heart, not for yourself

value - The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance or preciousness of something

esteem - Respect and admire; Consider; deem

~Shalom