Isn’t it good to know that when the Word of God is applied in our marriage, we can overcome the most impossible of obstacles and enjoy the kind of marriage which God has anointed. That’s right, your marriage is anointed by God to succeed. We have finished talking about the husband though there is still much more we could discuss. Let’s move on and examine the role of the wife.
We have seen that the husband must renew his thinking and behavior in order to be the kind of husband God has called him to be. The wife must also reexamine her thinking and attitudes if her actions are going to line up with God’s Word. By studying the Bible we can learn how far we have come and where we must go.
Society, for its own benefit and gain, has purposely devalued, distorted and perverted the role of wife, mother and woman. Have you noticed how old TV programs portrayed the wife as someone whose only value was in cleaning the house and babysitting the children. The father was always the bread-winner and had all the wisdom in the family. A slow and continuous reprogramming of our view of the value of being a wife and mother caused many women to become dissatisfied with that role. Many have been led to believe their self-worth can only be measured by working outside the home and having a career. Some women have become so disillusioned by such a philosophy, they are dissatisfied being a woman.
Many women are told they are being dominated by their male-chauvinist husbands if they enjoy being a housewife and mother. This does not infer that women do not have the knowledge or the ability to have a career and excel at it, or even that they shouldn’t. When a women has a desire to work, she should be given every opportunity to do so, as any individual should. Women must not value themselves according to the dictates of our perverted and ever-changing societal standards. The role of wife and mother is an honorable position with great responsibility and should be recognized as such.
If a woman desires to work outside her home while being a wife and mother, she will find it very difficult on herself and her family. The children will pay the price. I understand that most working wives and mothers feel they do not have an option. The high cost of living has forced them outside the home, placing the children in daycare- all to enter the business arena. This has caused a radical shift in our society. My take on this is much more than I can write in this short lesson. So, I will move on.
I believe the decay of the family is directly related to the failure of men to be the husbands God has called them to be and the devaluing of women in our society. In order to save the marriage relationship and the family, we must restore and replace our social philosophies with God's never-changing Word. This we will attempt to do.
The woman God created:.
The Bible says in Genesis 1:27 when God created Adam, He created him male and female. We later see that God took the female out of Adam and formed or built a woman. God then returned this woman back to Adam. The rib that was removed from Adam is translated from the Hebrew word to mean beam or support structure. Eve was to be a support - not unequal or less than the man - but one with the man. As beams in a boat are essential in supporting the boat, the wife is an essential support for her husband they are to be one. Woman was made exactly the way God intended. There was no mistake. I’ve heard it said that God practiced on the man and perfected the woman.
Women, be excited about who you are. Never look at yourself as anything less in God’s kingdom. We mistakenly think that because the woman is to submit to her husband, she is lower in value. That would be like saying because the believers submit to Christ we are lower in value.
1. Truth is, we are so valuable that Jesus died for us.
2. Truth is, all creation was made for mankind.
3. Truth is, we are most precious in His sight.
Remember, the Bible says we are to submit to one another. Women, God made you so that your husband would look upon you as Jesus looked upon His Bride, the church, and gave His life for it. Nothing is more important to Jesus than His church. And nothing is more important to a husband than his wife.
Next lesson we will continue by looking at what this submission stuff is really all about. We will also look at love. Little word; lots of meaning.