One of the vows said at weddings is, “Do you promise to love, honor, and respect her till death do you part?” Millions of husbands have said these views to each other, but do they really know what it means to honor your wife? They would say they do, but their actions would tell a different story. Honor is more shown than it is spoken. You can speak highly of your wife, but it speaks so much louder when you treat her with honor.
1 Peter 3:7
“Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
Be Revolutionary
Peter gives some great marriage advice. To get the full picture, you need to understand the times in which he lived. Very few people married for love back then. Most were arranged marriages, and wives were often considered the property of the husband. Women had minimal rights, and the husband could get rid of her at any time. As Peter writes these words, they are revolutionary. Treat the wife as an equal, that was unheard of.
Start with Understanding
Husbands are to honor their wives by understanding them. That understanding starts first with the realization that they are different. Women aren’t like men as much as the feminist movement wants you to think that it isn’t true on many levels. They are weaker physically, and we are to show honor to them by treating them that way. That means we step in and provide the strength and protection to them.
Honor Your Wife
The best thing you can do as a husband is to honor your wife. Treat them like the gift that God has given you. Lift them up by how you talk to them and about them to others. Build them up by providing opportunities for them to grow and flourish in the gifts that God has given them. Finally, strengthen them by coming alongside and helping them their burdens. This can be done both by assistance and through prayer. When you do this, God will see it and will hear your prayers.