The Heart of a Husband: Leading, Sacrificing, and Caring for Your Wife
As husbands, we are called to love our wives in a way that reflects Christ’s love for the church. This is a high standard, but it’s one that we should strive for every day. In this article, we’ll explore three key aspects of a husband’s role: leading, sacrificing, and caring for his wife.
Leading Your Wife
Leadership is not about dominance or control; it’s about serving and guiding your wife with love and wisdom. A good leader takes the initiative, makes plans, and takes risks. He says, “Let’s do this” or “Let’s try that.” He’s not afraid to take charge and make decisions, but he also listens to his wife and values her input.
John Witherspoon once said, “I take the liberty of rescuing from the number of hen-peckt, those who ask the advice, and follow the direction of their wives in most cases, because they are really better than any they could give themselves.” A good leader knows when to follow and when to lead.
Sacrificing for Your Wife
Sacrifice is at the heart of Christ’s love for the church. He gave himself up for us, and we are called to do the same for our wives. This means putting her needs before our own, being willing to make sacrifices for her benefit, and loving her even when it’s hard.
Chrysostom said, “Yea, even if it shall be needful for thee to give thy life for her, yea, and to be cut into pieces ten thousand times, yea, and to endure and undergo any suffering whatever,—refuse it not.” This is the kind of sacrificial love that we are called to as husbands.
Caring for Your Wife
Caring for your wife means cherishing her as your own body. It means loving her, nourishing her, and protecting her. It means being gentle with her, listening to her, and valuing her.
Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote, “He knew that she was created to be protected, and that he was created to protect her.” This is the kind of care and protection that we are called to as husbands.
A Higher Standard
The world’s standard for marriage is often low and selfish. But as Christians, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church, to lead them with wisdom and love, to sacrifice for them, and to care for them with gentleness and compassion.
D.L. Moody once said, “If I wanted to find out whether a man was a Christian, I wouldn’t ask his minister. I would go and ask his wife.” Our wives should be able to say with sincerity and tenderness, “Honey, you love me well, like Christ does the church.”
Let’s strive to be husbands who lead, sacrifice, and care for our wives with the love of Christ.
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