At the end of Ephesians 5:33, wives are commanded to respect their husbands.
In the Amplified version of the Bible, Ephesians 5:33 says that the wife “must see to it that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].
So, what can this look like on an everyday basis?
- Cooking meals you know he’ll enjoy
- Deferring to him by letting him take the lead on a decision that needs to be made.
- Thinking of him while you’re out and picking up his favorite snack
- Giving him the head chair at your dinner table and making sure he gets served first
- Speaking highly of him to other people, never defaming his character and upsetting his reputation
One thing I’ve had to really work on recently is saving him some of my energy at the end of the day. I’ve realized recently that I was giving my husband the leftovers instead of saving an intentional portion of myself for him after the kids went to bed.
Now I’m not just talking sex. Yes, please consider giving yourself in that way to him. But I’m also talking about the space that you’ve created for him to feel relaxed in when he needs some time to himself, or that mental energy to genuinely ask questions, debriefing the day.
My husband and I do morning coffee every Wednesday while my mother-in-law watches the kids. It gives us a chance to check in with one another to see how the other person is doing. W
With Mark 12:30 in mind, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” we ask the following questions:
How are you doing emotionally?
How are you doing spiritually?
How are you doing mentally?
How are you doing physically?
If we’re feeling extra energized that week, we like to ask, “How can I help you to feel better in those areas?”
One example of this is when my husband asks me to do bedtime with the kids on a particular night so that he can have a late-night workout session at the gym. This is helping a physical need in a practical way.
But there’s one last question I’ve gotten in the habit of asking, and it’s a terrifying question I know that must be asked.
How have I not respected you recently? And how can I show love to you better this week?
I know that once he begins to answer, that I need to listen and not be easily offended. I want him to know that I love him and that he is worth my respect because God has commanded me to do so.
Proverbs 31:23 says “a husband is known at the city gates.” He has a good reputation among his peers and his wife protects that!
One of the worst things you can do to damage your husband’s reputation is to speak negatively of him; constantly putting him down and forgetting to give grace.
Ephesians 4:29 says “no foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.”
Pray for God’s help in that area of your heart if you’re really needing help to respect your husband.
On a small note, if you truly desire to love and respect your husband even with your own thoughts, don’t find entertainment in watching women disrespect theirs. This includes what you watch on television and what you see scrolling your phone. This can indirectly communicate that “you can do better,” and that your husband isn’t worth respecting. Yeah, turn that off.
I’d love to hear some other ways you enjoy honoring your husband! Please share in the comments below.
If you missed the first post in the Godly Wife Series, you can CLICK HERE to check it out!
Leave a Reply