It was just one remark. Only a few people heard it. Surely it didn’t hurt anything.
Or anyone.
Or did it?

What we say can have effects on things well beyond what we could ever imagine.

Have you ever been around a woman who had submission issues? She challenges her husband on every point and refuses to do anything other what she wants? A woman who makes her husband cringe every time she opens her mouth, and in doing so makes all those around her cringe?

I have. I might have even been that woman at one time, long ago. At that time, not only was I outside of God’s will as a wife, but I was also setting a horrible example for other women!

You become like people you spend time with and look up to. It is a scary thing for a non submissive wife to be in a position of leadership and example.

I read about this very thing today in the Book of Esther. The Queen Vashti got herself in trouble with King Xerxes.
You see her husband King Xerxes had this week long party. Come about the seventh day, he called for the Queen to come to him. He wanted to show her off to all the men at his party because she was so beautiful! She was HIS queen! He appeared to be very proud of her. The scripture states that he was drunk. I realize that. However, he was still the king, her husband, and he did not ask her to do anything that was wrong or immoral! She however refused. It does not say why, she just refused.
You might wonder what the big deal is. She just said no to an office party!

Here’s the deal. While the king was hanging with all his important officials for seven days, the queen was also holding a seven day party for the ladies. So, when the King’s guys came to give Queen Vashti the message, all the ladies heard her disrespect her husband the King. These women had husbands at the King’s party.

The King was angry of course and sought counsel on what to do to Queen Vashti for refusing him. The men came up with actually publicly taking away her “queenhood”! The reason I find for this is very interesting.

Est 1:15  “According to the royal decrees, what must we do with Queen Vashti since she did not obey King Xerxes’ command, which the eunuchs delivered?”
Est 1:16  Then Memucan spoke up in the presence of the king and the officials, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the officials and all the people in every province of King Xerxes.
Est 1:17  The news of what the queen has done will spread to all women, and they will despise their husbands. They will say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she would not come.’
Est 1:18  Today the wives of the officials in Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will talk back to all the king’s officials. There will be contempt and short tempers.
Est 1:19  If it pleases you, Your Majesty, issue a royal decree. It should be recorded in the decrees of the Persians and Medes, never to be repealed, that Vashti may never again appear in front of King Xerxes. Furthermore, Your Majesty, you should give her royal position to another woman who is more worthy than she.
Est 1:20  When you issue your decree, your whole kingdom, great as it is, will hear it. Then all the wives will honor their husbands, regardless of their status.”
Est 1:21  The king and his officials approved of this, and so the king did as Memucan suggested.

Those men wanted to nip it right now! Before disrespect got out of hand!

Disrespect and lack of submission can spread like a wildfire! It is what causes marriages to get into to trouble. Churches to have problems, and God’s word to be dishonored.

I must be careful that I do not lead a rebellion! God’s word tell me that I am responsible for teaching younger women how to love their husbands, love their children, and care for their homes in Titus 2. That is a huge responsibility that must be lived out, not just spoken or blogged out!

I must not follow Queen Vashti’s example if I want to chase my husband’s heart.  And God’s heart for that matter!

There is still a Kingdom at stake!

Chasing His Heart,

Glenda Johnson