“Do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear.” – 1 Peter 3:16
All men deeply long to be respected. It’s hard to underestimate the value of respect in a man’s heart, the strength that quickens in his backbone when his wife gives him honor for who he is and what he does.
There’s a reason why God sums up His instructions on marriage by commanding the wife to “respect her husband” (Ephesians 5:33). It resonates with his manhood and becomes like adrenaline in his bloodstream. He can feel his confidence begin to surge.
No matter how ashamed or defeated he may be, a wife’s gentle respect begins the process that rallies him back into action.
Men simply tend to gravitate toward environments where they are respected more and held in higher honor.
This is not to say that failure to treat him with high regard is an excuse for him to abandon the home or make himself scarce. Neither does it mean that everything he does is respectful or worthy of admiration.
But there are ways to graciously confront your husband that will leave him feeling loved and encouraged. Like it or not, your constant respect is the secret to his heart.
Read Ephesians 5:33 and 1 Peter 3:1-2. God is explaining the key to a wife’s success. The command to respect remains regardless of whether her husband is a believer or not.
