First Peter 3:7 says, \u201cHusbands,\nlive with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the\nweaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your\nprayers may not be hindered.\u201d The term \u201cweaker vessel\u201d has often been\nmisunderstood. It does not imply inferiority, since the verse continues by\nstating that a woman is a co-heir with her husband. Within the context of this\nverse, \u201cweaker\u201d means that a woman is not to be treated as \u201cone of the guys.\u201d\nShe is created differently, in both body and spirit. \u201cUnderstanding\u201d is key. A\nhusband must study his wife, learn who she is, and make choices that highlight\nher strengths and beauty. Physical confrontation, verbal bullying, and\nemotional neglect have no place in a Christian marriage. To live with her in an\nunderstanding way means that a wise husband controls his own needs and desires\nso that hers are met. He does not belittle her, minimize her contributions to\nthe family, or expect her to do what God has given him to do. He makes the\nstudy of one woman a lifetime endeavor, and he wants to be an expert at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christian wives desire godly\nleadership, not dictatorship. However, a man cannot lead where he has not been.\nA leader goes first, forging the way, wrestling through spiritual issues and\nthen presenting God\u2019s instruction to his family. An ongoing personal\nrelationship with Jesus is crucial in order to lead a family spiritually. God\nholds men responsible for the spiritual and physical well-being of their\nfamilies (1 Timothy 5:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Husbands are to show sacrificial,\nunconditional love for their wives in the same way that Jesus loves us, His\nbride, even when we are unruly, disobedient, and unlovable. Jesus willingly subjected His own body to\nabuse, humiliation, and need for the sake of His bride, the church. That is the\nmodel this Scripture gives for husbands to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both single and married men benefit\nfrom the traits of a godly leader:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 First a servant (Matthew 23:11) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Teachable (Proverbs\n19:20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Enthusiastic about his role (Ephesians 6:7)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 A model of humility and forgiveness\n(1 Peter 5:6; Ephesians\n4:32)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Loving to those he leads (Matthew 5:46; John 13:34-35)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Ready to admit his failures and\nareas where he needs growth (Philippians 3:12)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More specifically, a man can become a\ngodly husband by considering the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Does your schedule indicate that\nyour family is a top priority in time, energy, and focus?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Are you heeding the counsel of 1\nPeter 3:7 and really studying your wife?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Are you taking the initiative to\nlead your wife spiritually by sharing the things God is teaching you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Are you sensitive to your wife’s\nphysical state and sexual needs? They will be different from yours, and a godly\nhusband respects that without pouting or trying to \u201cpunish\u201d her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Are you accepting equal\nresponsibility for the children? Even if your wife is better at some aspects of\nparenting, your children are your responsibility. Your wife needs a partner who\nwillingly shares the load with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Examine your tone of voice. Have\nyou fallen into a habit of harshness, blame, or subtle disapproval? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Do you ever resort to physical or\nverbal abuse in any form? If you need anger management help, get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. In areas where your wife is weak,\nare you helping her to grow rather than criticizing or shutting down? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Are you a good listener? Wives\nneed to share their hearts, and you must be the safest place for her to do\nthat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
10. Are you the guardian of her\nheart, dreams, and self-worth? You cannot be God to her, but you can encourage\nher to connect with God in such a way that her deepest emotional needs are met\nin Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A husband can choose to define\nsuccess by how well he has followed God\u2019s command to cherish his wife and lead\nhis family. A happy wife is a testament to her husband. While he is not\nresponsible for the way his wife responds, every husband can control how well\nhe is following Jesus\u2019 model in loving and leading the ones God has entrusted\nto him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First Peter 3:7 says, \u201cHusbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.\u201d The term \u201cweaker vessel\u201d has often been misunderstood. It does not imply inferiority, since […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[532],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n