Wives, See that you Reverence your Husbands

Ladies, as I sat here this morning, staring at a blank screen, I realized I can search the other blogs, check my inbox, scan the papers, and come up with some good sales, free items, maybe even a good recipe or a money saving tip for you. All those things are good and fun! Then I realized that even if we have saved $200.00 today and can add that to the list of many more hundreds we've saved over the year, it doesn't make any difference if when our husbands come home there isn't a spirit of unity between us, he isn't quite to happy to walk in the door and we aren't thrilled at all to see him come home.

Now maybe some of you have never been there. ( If not, please! get on your knees in thankfulness right now!) Maybe you are there. Maybe it is worse then not being thrilled to see him come in, maybe you are wishing he didn't come in. Whatever your story... I would guess you would like to see it change. We've not always had an easy road to walk, but we just celebrated 21 years together. Both of us so very thankful for what God has done in our lives and in our marriage. I remember the days of praying that God would help us, show us, bring us back to a unity. God hears and answers prayer. If you haven't started to pray, start now.

For all of us, I want to encourage us to take what scripture says and put it to heart. Right after the Bible tells men to love their wives as Christ loves the church it goes on to tell us wives to reverence our husbands. I remember reading it and not understanding what it meant. Dr. S.M. Davis gave a talk at a homeschool conference which was a huge eye opener for me - and it has made a huge difference in our life. I'll explain briefly what he says and pray that each of us will be encouraged to put this one little effort out today to help our marriages.

Dr. Davis explained that men are different than women. (oh? really now! :) ) The word picture that will forever stick in my mind as the blinking billboard of what I should do is:
"Have you ever noticed how men go hunting, and when it's all said and done and the meat is in the freezer, that they come home with the head of that dead animal? They pay good money to have it stuffed and mounted and then they come home to hang it on your wall!!!!??!! Why do they do that? Because as soon as another guy comes over, what is the first thing that is exchanged between them? 'Did YOU really get THAT one? WOW! Good Job" Then they start telling stories and most likely they are doing a little bragging on how big that other one was. What Dr. Davis wanted us to see was that men really do need to have their accomplishments noticed... they need it so much that they are willing to risk their pride and pay to have it hung on the wall, waiting their for others to notice and comment on.

Ladies.. here is where God has given us a key to their hearts! Do YOU notice what your man does? The efforts he makes? Things about him that you noticed when you first met him, do you still notice them? And if you DO notice them, do you ever comment on them? I encourage you to make a huge effort in this area. For 1 week try it... and I can almost guarentee you that your efforts will be noticed! I remember coming home from the conference and almost feeling dumb the first time I walked up behind my husband and commented on the house he was designing on the computer. I could feel in his body language that he noticed. He paused, then slowly he turned around, looked up at me, and gave me a smile. After a few days he commented and asked what was going on, to which I just replied that I think I had learned something about him. From there, it only got better.

Men need to be appreciated. Ever notice how scripture says there is nothing worse than a nagging woman? In fact it goes so far as to say it's better to live on the housetop than in the house if she's going to nag! Let's step back and take a look at our actions. We are here as Jesus' hands, mouthpiece, and feet, to serve the man he gave us. If our actions are not serving him, then very likely they are tearing him down. Ladies... don't do it. It's not worth it. God's desire is that our homes would be a light to this world, a refuge for not only our loved ones but any others who enter in. Most importantly in my mind is that our home is a place where our men can come home and be refreshed from the battles they face every day! Don't wait for him to start doing his part... someone has to start and maybe this is the day for you to start! My prayer for all my readers is that we could have a submissive heart to our husbands. A heart that loves and fears God and is willing to be a servant to the man we married. I pray that God will work in the wives hearts to be reminded to do or begin this and that He will also work in the hearts of the husbands so that they will respond with the 'love, as Christ loved the church.'
What are ways you show reverence and encourage your husband? Would you share them with our readers? We are all on life's journey together... leave your comments below.