A Gift from God

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." - Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV)

Men, your wife is a gift from God to you. She is a blessing from the Lord. Men help themselves out when they treat their wives well. Ephesians 5:28 tells us, "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." When you love your wife the way God wants, you're actually loving yourself. Why? Because Genesis 2:24 says the two become one flesh. In God's sight, you and your wife are one, not simply two individuals.

This isn't just sentiment—it's theology. God views the husband and wife as one flesh. If you mistreat your wife, you're basically mistreating yourself. So, do yourself a favor and love your wife, because in loving her, you're loving yourself. You are one flesh together in the sight of God.

1 Peter 3:7 says, "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." 

"Dwell with them with understanding" expresses the idea that men should understand and appreciate the differences between themselves and their wives. The world tries to blur gender distinctions, but Scripture is clear: "In the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27). He didn't create a hundred genders. He created two. Just because they're different doesn't mean they're not equal. We are equal in God's sight, but we are also distinct.

If we let society convince us there are no real distinctions between men and women, we're no longer following God's Word. We're conforming to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2). Get your biology from Scripture, not from today's cultural trends.

This week, we will explore what 1 Peter 3:7 means for men today. Today, take a moment to reflect on the fact that men and women are different. God has blessed men with their wives. Our wives should be lovingly understood, for their similarities and their differences.

Reflection: Men, what changes when you truly see your wife as God's blessing to you?

Father, help me see my wife as the precious gift You've given me. Forgive me for the times I've taken her for granted or treated her as anything less than the blessing she is. Help me love her as myself, remembering we are one flesh in Your sight. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Husbands, Do Yourself a Favor and Love Your Wife": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/bbpvr7n/15-husbands-do-yourself-a-favor-and-love-your-wife-1-peter-3-7