18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

A little boy finally sat down after first resisting his parents’ command to do so. He said to his parents, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.”  Another classics is this, “I’ll do it, but I’m not going to like it.”  There’s something inside of us that won’t bend.  We can go all day without saying one word to God.  We suffer in silence and we think in silence.  It’s the flesh – it’s independent – it’s arrogant.  It perceives bending before anyone as shame.  However, to God – this is huge.  Because whatever legitimate authority structure God has placed over us, God means to be served by it: “You are serving the Lord Christ.”  We do not submit because the authorities deserve it, it’s because God commands it…and He deserves our submission and our gladness in serving Him.