A great servant-leader in our church unexpectedly passed away after a tragic accident last week. The visitation Saturday night was held at our church. I never know what to say in those situations but this sweet wife, who is always so spunky and sweet, made us feel completely at ease as we tried to comfort and support her. She gave me some great advice that I don't want to forget... that's why I'm writing it here so I can look back at it every once in a while!
She said she was telling the young wives that came through the (long) line that night that we needed to get busy
spoiling our husbands. She said her children always told her their daddy was spoiled and that she knew they were right... but she said that she wouldn't have done anything differently if she had it to do all over again. She laid his work clothes out every night for him and always took care of him in the little ways, cooking, etc. She reminded me that we aren't promised tomorrow and we shouldn't take anything for granted. I have thought about what she said several times and have had a new inspiration to think of ways I can "spoil" Courtney.
It also got me thinking - society has definitely changed what "accepted" and "normal" roles look like for husbands and wives since this silver haired lady was a young wife but I think it's obviously not working - the world has got it all wrong. God reminded me of this passage from Ephesians that we recently studied - the Bible is clear that we are to
respect our husbands and they are to
love us. If God is love and is the author of marriage... why do I think I know how to work it better? As a
control freak, bossy pants, sinner, this is something I struggle with. This passage hits me right between the eyes every time.
Ephesians 5: Instructions for Christian Households
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011
