Respect is Still Respectable

I met yesterday with a woman with whom I am studying the book, The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace. Yesterday's chapter was on respect. The verse we looked at in depth was Ephesians 5:33b, "and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband." Respect seems to be a lost art in our society. We are encouraged to question authority, not respect it. Probably in no area is this more evident than in the relationship between husband and wife. Wives today do not generally respect their husbands. Just look at any sitcom in a family setting. It is almost always the husband that is the butt of the jokes, the inept member of the family. The days of Father Knows Best are long gone.

The current climate gives the Christian wife an excellent opportunity to stand out by actually obeying this biblical mandate to respect her husband. The verse clearly indicates that this is her responsibility. She is to see to it. It doesn't comment on whether or not the husband has earned her respect, or is treating her in a respectable way. She is to see to it that she respect her husband. The present tense used here demands that this be her continual pursuit.

So how do I talk to my husband? How do I talk about my husband to others? How do I think of him in my own heart when no one else is around? Do I respond to him with kind words, a loving tone of voice, and a pleasant countenance? If I need to reprove or correct him, do I do it with graciousness and humility? Does he know that I am completely and unreservedly behind him, his biggest fan, his closest confidante? My husband and I recently celebrated our 28th anniversary, but I still need to ask myself these questions. I need to be continually devoted to loving and respecting my husband.

Even though respect may seem a lost art in our society, it is still respectable to God. It is His desire for us in many areas of life, including that of a wife for her husband. So I challenge myself, I challenged the woman I met with yesterday, I challenge every Christian wife to make it her aim to respect her husband in thought, word, and deed. Why do I want to do this? Because my husband is perfect, and never does anything unrespectable? No. (although he is pretty wonderful!) Because the world around me encourages me to? Definitely not. Respecting my husband is one aspect of my commitment to live my life to please the Lord. "Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." (2 Cor. 5:9) It is because of God that I am committed to respect my husband, and it is only through God that I am able to respect my husband. I am so thankful that when God gives us a command to obey, He also enables us to obey. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! (Phil 4:13)

So, Roberta, so wives, take a stand. Be a rebel in our anti-authority, do your own thing world. Respect your husband! Respect is still respectable to God, and it should be to us as well.