by Julie Bruce
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)
Peter gives husbands some instructions on how to live with their wives. He tells them to
- Live with them with understanding
- Give honor to her
- Recognize that she is the weaker vessel
- Like him, she is an heir of eternal life
But then he ends the verse with “that your prayers may not be hindered.” Do you ever feel like your prayers are getting nowhere? If so, go back and look at these four instructions and allow the Holy Spirit to identify any way that you may not be honoring your wife in these ways.
What does it mean to be a man of honor? King David wrote in Psalms 101:
“I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar
I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil
I will not tolerate people who sander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.I will search for faithful people to be my companions
Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me
I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.
My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked”
In today’s world, we have become so desensitized to sin and don’t see sin as God sees it. But husbands, there is no room for compromise! God is calling you to courageously stand up and be men of honor, which begins at home and with your relationship with your wife. If you have no honor in your own home, you will not have honor anywhere. You demonstrate honor to your wife when you speak well of her, when you treat her with respect in both word and actions. You honor her by providing for her, loving her intimately, being faithful to her and leading her ever closer to God as you grow together in a thriving relationship with Him.
It is not just with your wife that you need to be a man of honor. You also need to be a father of honor. Just imagine how things would different in your home if you lived according to Psalm 101 and I Peter 3:7. Is there a little boy in your home looking up to and learning from you how to one day treat his wife? Is there a little girl who is learning from you how a man should treat her when she is a wife? Are your children learning about integrity from you?
How would our world be different if husbands and fathers were courageous men of honor? How would crime rates be affected? What about drug use? What about the statistics for physical and sexual abuse? What about the rate of divorce or children in foster care?
You, dear husband, have been initiated, called out by God to be the one He identified to care for, protect, provide, and honor your wife and children. You are to be their spiritual leader to guide them toward Christ. 1 Peter is very clear that if you do not live this way, your prayers will be hindered.
Are there ways that you are not honoring your wife? Are you compromising your honor in any way? Is there any way your eyes are not honoring your wife? Is there any way your ears do not honor her? Is there any way your hands do not honor her? Is there any way your lips do not honor her? Is there anywhere our feet take you that does not honor her? If so, will you confess those to God right now and then live courageously, standing up as a man of honor?
What a different world we would live in if husbands and fathers were spiritual leaders and men of honor! Rise Up, O men of God. Stand firm. Be courageous and say, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
