The Bible says to give over and yield my power and authority to my husband-to-be: to present myself for his approval, consideration, and decision; to defer to his judgment or opinion; to be subject to him, and to open and expose myself to him. Likewise, I am supposed to submit myself to Christ, to depend upon Him in everything. I’m one of those don’t-need-a-man, can-do-all-things-on-my-own, independent-and-strong type of women. It’s how I was raised, so the whole idea of “submission” is a lesson the Lord is still teaching me. I don’t need or want to submit to anyone- let alone some man- because that goes against the person who I am: the “boss” woman I was raised and encouraged (by society) to become. But, I do love Christ. I know that He died for my sins so I can live eternally in Heaven with Him. I can’t just skip over this command. How, then, do I submit to Christ?
I love watching people dance, particularly dances that require two people to move and sway together. The Latin American salsa dance is one of my favorites. I love the rhythm, up-tempo beats, and playfulness that each partner is expected to display. Salsa isn’t strict; dancers are applauded for the liberties they take while still keeping the basic three-step movement.
I’m not a great dancer. I’ve taken my share of dance classes and have visited dance clubs all around the world. I still can’t get the swing of it. Every time I try, I envision myself in some beautiful dress that twirls perfectly, fabulous heels, long gorgeous hair, and a tall, dark, handsome man asking me to dance. This man, preferably Latino, whirls me around the dance floor – our rhythms perfectly in sync. [SPOILER ALERT] None of these things have ever happened. However, while those fantasies won’t turn me into a better dancer, having a great dance partner definitely doesn’t hurt. I know the basic steps of salsa, but I’ve never had a good enough partner to guide and lead me in the ways I should move, who knows the steps well enough that he won’t be thrown off when I mess up because he’s keeping the rhythm.
In salsa, the man leads the woman. He holds her frame and uses his strong arms to twirl her around and then catch her when she stops spinning. I had a good partner when I danced bachata while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. He didn’t tell me when he was going to spin me, he used his strength to nonverbally indicate that the dance was changing – that our moves will be different. I love the physical strength that men have when they guide, lead, and protect women. It’s part of their nature, created in the image of God: a strong and valiant warrior.
It’s not super weird to do a sort of “salsa shimmy” alone in a corner, but it’s more enjoyable to do the dance with a partner, particularly someone that leads well. I like being dependent on my partner to lead. I like being able to defer to his final decision about the next step. I’m a bad dancer, so I’m literally exposing myself as a bad dancer when I open myself up to him, the good dancer. Yes, I am expecting him to be an excellent dancer that diligently practices and pushes me to improve. I trust that he will take the blame if we mess up and that he is leading me to the best of his ability and for that I will celebrate him for all that he is.
If I can do all these things for my non-existent salsa dance partner, how much more should I submit when Christ asks me to dance with Him? The Lord asked me to dance every day for the last eleven months, and, oh, has it been a whirlwind. He spins and twirls me; sometimes I’m not sure if we will ever stop. There are times when the tempo of the song changes and it’s faster or slower, but I trust him to get me through the transitions. I can take my own steps and dance on my own, but it’s so fun dancing with a perfect partner, one who will not let me fail. He’s anticipating my every step and when the music changes, He’s still got the rhythm. He romances me while we dance. I let Him lead me.
While this particular song is ending, I won’t stop grooving with Him. We are just changing the track. I’m a better dancer now. I can help other people with their moves. I want to bring people to the dance club. No one is meant to salsa alone, especially when the quintessential Partner wants to dance with you.
