1 Peter 3:6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Submission can be a difficult thing. As a man, I cannot understand the pressures upon women today. Peter is reflecting on Sarah and how she submitted to Abraham and called him “lord” in Genesis 18:12. We need to use good hermeneutical skills in how we interpret this verse. First, we must look at this historically and how it was the cultural practice in the patriarchal time to give honor to the head of the clan, who was Abraham. Second, we can look at the linguistics and the meaning of the word “lord” as a sign of respect. What is Peter’s point here? He wants women to be simple in their appearance and humble in their marriages. This will be one of the most powerful testimonies of God’s grace within them that they can give.
The drive to conform to cultural expectations to look beautiful outwardly with fancy hair styles, clothing, and putting too much emphasis on outward appearances is actually driven by fear. In many cultures, this fear is about being shamed or sticking out as unique. This fear starts in elementary school as children are exposed to other children. The patterning may be set even earlier as little girls grow up and their parents put them in frilly dresses. To dress simplistically may open up girls (and boys to some extent) to teasing. These cultural patterns are reinforced during adolescents and may even set the pattern for latter life. This puts a lot of responsibility on parents. Parents must help their children, especially girls, to find their worth in God and in their character, not in outward appearance.
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