“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” (1 Peter 3:7).
Just as wives assume a God-given role within a marriage relationship, the same is true for husbands. 1 Peter 3:7 highlights some of those responsibilities beginning with the qualities of honor, understanding, and a recognition of the couple’s joint status as “…heirs together of the grace of life.” For instance, this passage tells us that a God-honoring husband should not expect his wife to exceed her physical capabilities. He also recognizes that his failure to act upon these directives will negatively impact his own relationship with God.
For example, the husband must take the lead in identifying and meeting his wife’s needs to ensure that she is loved, honored, and secure within their relationship. He must also be mindful that his wife is a daughter of the God he serves. Therefore, he must interact with her in an appropriate and considerate manner that honors Christ.
In fact, many of the attributes of a God honoring wife apply to a God-honoring husband as well. For instance, a husband might ask the following questions of himself…
- Do I invest in my personal spiritual growth by prayerfully reading the Scriptures each day and allowing God to speak to me directly from His Word?
- Do I seek God regularly for wisdom (knowing how to respond to the variables of daily life), perception (a truthful and accurate assessment of a given situation), and discernment (the ability to see things as they really are)?
- Have I worked to develop the God-given talents, skills, abilities, and opportunities I possess?
- Does my appearance honor God, my wife, my family, and myself?
- Have I sought to rule over my wife (Genesis 3:16) instead of dwelling with her with understanding as we’re told here in 1 Peter 3:7?
- What value do I place upon my wife? Where does she appear on my priority list?
- 1 Peter 4:8 will later tell us, “…love covers a multitude of sins” (ESV). Have I ensured that my knowledge of my wife’s faults and vulnerabilities remains confidential?
Finally, we should expect sinful human beings to exhibit their shortcomings in a marriage relationship. We should not deny the existence of those faults, no matter how much we may wish to believe otherwise. When our spouses demonstrate their failings, we must accept their reality and respond in a God-honoring manner. A caring spouse will seek to help his or her partner overcome such things by implementing these instructions from 1 Peter 3:1-7.