Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:33
this weeks topic has really struck a cord with me. i've read this verse over and over again. it doesn't say respect your husband only when you feel he deserves it, it doesn't say he has to GIVE respect to GET respect and it's certainly not up to us to deem when he is worthy of it. God was pretty clear with this verse, the wife MUST respect her husband.
so, i know this girl who has a hot, quick temper and a big, fat mouth and she can cut to the bone with words. and i'm she is pretty good at pointing out her husbands faults and failures. and can pick up on disrespect lickity-split when it's coming from someone else but can't see when she is being totally disrespectful to her husband.
we all know that yelling, nagging and belittling are totally disrespectful. and we would never put up with that from our children (at least i wouldn't) but yet why do we feel it's okay to treat our husbands that way?
God created men with a need to have respect from their mate. husbands desire respect while women desire love. and i would bet if we showed them more respect they would show us more love. when a wife respects her husband it deepens her love for him. so really, it's a win win situation for everyone :) lots of respect and lots of love, sounds pretty amazing to me. men need to know that they are adequate, that they are enough and that they are worthy of our respect. our men need our encouragement, respect and love.
what better way to show your husband respect than through praise! i think maybe some love note writing may be in order this week :)
out for now
~kisses
