1 Corinthians 11:12
“For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.”
“Order in the court!” the judge says as he slams his gavel on the bench. When a court gets unruly or noisy, the judge will declare order in his court. The whole purpose the peace was lost in the court was because those causing disharmony stepped out of their role of authority placed in that court by the law.
One of the greatest reasons marriages are not peaceful is because they’ve stepped out of the order God designed. There is no judge to slam his gavel down in the marriage when they get the order messed up, but many times the disorder comes out in dysfunctional families. God addressed the order of the home in 1 Corinthians 11.
First, Christ is to be the head of the home. Verse 3 says, “…the head of every man is Christ;…” When Christ is not the head of the home, then every other part of the home will fall out of order. Until the husband submits to Christ, then he will find that his wife will have difficulty submitting to him. Men are to be spiritual. Men should not be the unspiritual one’s in the home, but they should be the spiritual leaders. As they submit themselves to Christ, the rest of the family sees his submission and they have an easier time fulfilling their roles.
Second, the husband is to be the head of the woman. Verse 3 says, “…and the head of the woman is the man;…” I know this is not popular in our day, but God designed that the woman follows her husband’s leadership. Ladies who fight against this design are only causing disharmony in their home. If the husband lets the wife run the home, it still will not work properly because it goes against God’s order. It may work to a degree, but it will not work like God intended for the marriage to work.
Third, proper priorities will keep order in the home. We know that Christ is the head of the husband, but God goes further with the wife when He says in verse 9, “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” God was showing that the wife’s first priority is her husband. In other words, when the husband keeps God as his first priority, and the wife keeps her husband as her first priority in her life, then you will find a peaceful order in the home. The first priority of a man is not his agenda and hobbies, but it is Christ. The man’s priorities are to keep God first, then his wife is his second priority. Men, you must not get these two priorities messed up with anything else. Likewise, a lady must not allow a ministry or job to come before her husband. If anything takes a lady away from caring for her husband, then it becomes wrong.
Finally, proper yielding will keep order in the home. Notice in the verse above that both the husband and wife are to yield to each other. This is an important key to keeping order. Be careful about having to have your own way. Learn to yield to each other’s desires. It’s amazing when the husband and wife yield to each other how peaceful the home becomes.
The order of the home will dictate how peaceful the home will be. You show me a home where the husband and wife understand their roles and keep them, and I will show you a home that is filled with order and peace. When the husband and wife keep their order, then you will find the children will most likely fall into place and keep their proper role. Order in the home always starts at the top.