The Story: A woman is a weaker vessel than a man like a crystal goblet is weaker than a pewter mug. They can both do the same amount of work; you just have to handle one rather more carefully than the other. This takes understanding on the part of a man, a challenge many men find exasperating (Henry Higgins: “I cannot understand the wretch at all!”). But this is a man’s primary mission in life – to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. He must work hard to honor his wife by exalting her, commending and praising her, and placing her above himself, so that he can serve her as he should. The grace of life will flow in a marriage where men work hard at honoring their wives and wives work hard at adorning their souls. The man who fails to honor his wife will not be able to expect success in prayer. Honor your wife, though, brethren, and you’ll have a powerful prayer partner to help you in all the challenges of following Jesus.

The Structure: In our day the Biblical view of marriage is under assault and coming unglued. Christian couples have an excellent opportunity to provide a showcase of mutual love, respect, and service in the way they relate to one another in marriage. While we need to work hard in the moral and political spheres to protect the sanctity of marriage, nothing is more important than that Christian husbands and wives demonstrate the power of the Gospel in their relationships at home. When the world sees marriages that work for mutual honor, edification, and love, they’ll realize the strength of our argument for a Biblical approach to marriage.

How can husbands be more consistent in honoring their wives?

Each week’s studies in our Scriptorium column are available in a free PDF form, suitable for personal or group use. For this week’s study, “First, Be: 1 Peter 3,” simply click here.

T. M. Moore

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.