Wives Worship God as You Respect Your Husbands, Part 2

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-6

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.  For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

Insights:  One of the interesting things about women who choose to divorce their husbands is many times they say, “I love him, I just don’t respect him any more.”  There are a lot of reasons the wife might have those feelings or thoughts.  I think it is for this reason that Peter, and Paul in Ephesians chapter five, tell wives to have respect for their spouses.  One of the reasons wives are submissive and have respect for their husbands, especially if they are men who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, is so that the man may see the good and godly behavior of the wife and repent and come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.  There is another thing this passage discusses that I believe to be very relevant in todays culture and that is personal apparel.  Many women today dress with very little or even no modesty.  They think modesty is an old fashioned idea and not relevant any longer.  If these ladies only knew what their choice in dress did to men, they would never dress this way.  Wives, you are to dress in a manner that honors God and displays that respect we have been talking about for your husbands.  You are his to be cherished and not the worlds.  Do not dress for the pride and vanity that you receive when you are inappropriately dressed, but with worship toward to the Lord, choose modesty.  We have spent two days looking at how women worship God through the respect of their husbands and tomorrow we move to the men.  So, gentlemen, do not skip the next couple of days, but rather come back with eager anticipation as we look at four areas men need to worship the Lord as they love their wives.

Questions:

1.  Do you respect your husbands?

2.  For whom do you dress, the Lord and your husband or the looks you get from the world?

Prayer: Father, again I pray for the ladies who are born again to live a life that honors and glorifies You as they worship You through respect and adornment that pleases You and their husbands.  Amen.