Carrying Handbags

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” A pastor once had his hands full carrying some bags, so my friend reached over to take one off his hands. It happened to be his wife’s handbag. But before my friend could make contact the pastor exclaimed “Young man, you do not have the authority to carry my wife’s handbag!” The Korean side of me at times thinks more traditionally about the roles of men and women in relationships. The word “authority” and the phrase “carrying my wife’s handbag” don’t first appear as a natural association in my mind, but the tradition that Christ laid out for us is that power and authority most effectively express themselves through self-sacrifice. Last week in my inner healing session, one of my ministers told me that God is changing the definition of what it means to be a man for me. I’ve been meditating on this, and I must say that I’m increasingly proud to carry my wife’s handbag. Lord, thank you for laying out the perfect example. I commit to do my best in living up to it. I love you so much. In Jesus’ name, Amen.