For the last few weeks we have reiterated the fact that Christian women have one very clear and definite role to fulfill as wives--that of glorifying and being in submission to their husbands. If you are a married Christian woman, God has called you to fulfill your role of being a "helper" to him. This week we are going to look at some practical ways that we can be our husband's helper by glorifying him, thus being obedient to God in the role to which He has called us.

Lesson 16

The following is a summary adaptation taken from The Excellent Wife. Used by permission.

Practical Ways to Glorify Your Husband

1. Ask your husband, "What are your goals for the week?" Then ask how you can help him to accomplish these goals.

2. Ask if there are things that you could be doing differently that would make his week go easier.

3. Be organized--keep your laundry done and your house clean. Make sure you have your grocery shopping done and cook good meals. As tough as this may seem these things are YOUR responsibility. Don't leave them till the weekend for hubby to have to help. You will find that as you are busy about your business in your home that this will free up your husband to fulfill his role.

4. Make sure, even at the end of a busy day, that you have saved up some energy for him. This may mean that you need to take a short afternoon nap. There is nothing wrong with this. Wise men (and women) throughout the ages have taken a "siesta." Just make sure that your nap is taken due to actual fatigue and not from laziness or depression.

5. Put him first. This means he comes before children, your parents, friends, job, ladies Bible Studies, church work, etc.

6. Willingly and cheerfully rearrange your schedule for him when necessary.

7. Say good things about your husband in the presence of others. Do not slander him at all, even if what you are saying is true.

8. Think about your husband's work, his goals. Make a list of some things that you can do to make him look good and to help him accomplish those goals. Perhaps you could run errands for him, pray for him and make good, wise suggestions. Give him the freedom, however, not to use your suggestions and do not allow yourself to become resentful or offended if he does not follow them.

9. Consider his work as more important than your own.

10. Think of specific ways that you can help him accomplish his goals, then act upon those thoughts. Some things you might do are: get up early in the mornings to help him get off to work after having a good breakfast, anticipate special needs that he might have based on his own individual goals, keep careful records of money spent to keep up with the budget.

11. How do you spend your own day? Consider the things that you are involved in that might take your time away from your home, your husband and your responsibilities to glorify him. Do the things you do indeed bring glory to your him? Ask his opinion and guidance in this area.

12. Be kind to his family and friends, even if you don't like them. Make your commitment to your husband obvious to them.

13. Do and say things that build him up instead of tear him down.

14. Dress and apply your makeup in an attractive manner that is pleasing to your husband.

15. Encourage him to use his spiritual gifts in ministry for the Lord.

16. Always remember that, just as God is glorified when man obeys Him, your husband is glorified when you obey him.

Now, at this point I am sure that there are those of you who are saying, "Okay, Sylvia, all this is easy for Mrs. Peace, and even you, to say because your husbands are godly men. You just don't understand what I have to live with. You just don't know what kind of man I am married to. He is not even a Christian (or, he is not walking with God at the present time)!"

Yes, I do understand. However, two wrongs have never and will never make a right. God has called YOU to obedience in spite of your circumstances. By His grace you CAN be the excellent wife that He has called you to be. Ask Him daily to give you the strength to be a loving, kind example of Jesus Christ to your spouse. God is faithful to His promises. He cannot lie. He has said that if we will call out to him in our calamity He WILL help us.

Mrs. Peace sums this week's lesson up well with a story that her grandmother told her once about her own parents. It is taken from page 56:

"They were born around the time of the Civil War. Apparently, her mother was a Christian and her father was not. Reflecting back, my grandmother told how her mother always wanted to please him. In order to please her husband, she was gentle and kind, and cooperated in all of the many relocation moves they made. Her usual answer when he requested something was, "Yes, Dad." She did not complain or grumble. She seemed to go gladly along with him in his plans. Even when she differed, she still respectfully supported him. I asked my grandmother, "How did your father treat your mother?" and she said, "He adored her." Well, my great-grandfather may not have glorified Christ, but my great-grandmother did by magnifying her husband, by living out the role that God intended for her. A special blessing for her was how her husband treated her and loved her. You see, a Christian woman can do the right thing and fulfill her God-given role regardless of whether her husband fulfills his or not."

Taken from "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace, pp 55-56. Copyright 1999, Focus Publishing, Bemidji, Minnesota. Used with permission for the purposes of this devotional series only. May not be reproduced or forwarded without the express consent of the publisher.