My Legacy to My Daughter
June 29, 2008 — Stephen Newell
If there is only one thing — other than a saving knowledge of Christ — that I am able to teach my little Grace that sticks til she dies, it would be this:
Once they had all had their say, a minister’s wife looked across the table at me. “Christine, what are your thoughts.”
“You wouldn’t care to know. I’m young and single. What do I know?!”
At this the women in the room turned their attention to me, assuring me that my thoughts mattered.
I began slowly.
“I believe that a man feels most loved when he knows that he is respected.”
I went on to describe how I desired to serve my husband and show him respect to himself, in front of our children, and before others (whether he was present or not). In matters of submission, I imagined the thrill of being able to serve my husband even if the task was small. I longed for the Lord to bring me a mate that I could run along side of as we ran the course God had set before us, cheering him on … quenching his thirst … rejoicing at his/our victories.
I did not qualify my statements by saying that I would only do these things if he proved to be a godly leader and lover. I knew that many of their husbands were not. However, wives are responsible for their own actions and attitudes … not those of their husbands. Scripture does not describe the marriage relationship as “Wives, submit to your husbands when they lead you in godliness.” Instead, 1 Peter 3:1 states, “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives—”
I have sought in my own living to apply King Lemuel’s mother’s advice to her son. She described a godly wife who’s husband is confident in her and her abilitites. She seeks to do him good and not evil all the days of her life. All the days … even before she is married? Indeed. Take God’s inspired Word seriously, ladies. Look at the married women around you. Are they disrespectful? Do they leap at the opportunity to bite off their man’s head? Do they ignore their husbands? Have they grown bored in their marriage? Single women, like myself, this is not your fate. Do what is necessary today to love your future husband. It’s really no different than living the Christian faith. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength … and … love your neighbor as yourself. Being conformed into the likeness and image of Christ, living the gospel daily, and removing selfish pride from your life is essentially the ulitmate preparation to living with and respecting and loving a husband.
Go and read the entire fantastic story here.
