How Well Do We Know Our Wives?
FROM ONE HUSBAND TO ANOTHER
How Well Do We Know Our Wives?
“Husbands ... dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7 KJV
Dwelling with our wives “according to knowledge” doesn’t refer to the information in all the books available today on marriage. While they can provide much help for husbands, the above Bible verse pertains to that special knowledge each husband gains while living with his own wife.
The longer we’re married, the better we should know our wives. No one should know them better than we do, not even their parents. But this isn’t always the case. Recently, a man told me that even though he’s been married to his wife for ten years he hardly knows her. They both work long days, and except for sleeping, they spend little time together.
When we unite with our wives in marriage, the Bible tells us that “the two shall be one flesh” (Eph. 5:31). In other words, we should literally grow together, becoming as one. It also says that men ought “to love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph. 5:28). That’s how well we should know our wives!
What are the benefits of knowing our wives as well as we know our own bodies? We know when our bodies are hurting, don’t we? We know what our bodies enjoy, don’t we? We know what our bodies need, don’t we? We know what’s good and bad for them, don’t we? And we act according to that knowledge.
If we have this kind of knowledge about our wives and use it, our lives with them will be much better. And as a bonus blessing, our line of communication with God will improve – our prayers “will not be hindered.” What an interesting relationship between how we treat our wives and unhindered prayer! Want God to hear your prayers? Treat your wife better!
By Larry Ondrejack