A Godly Husband, Part 1

There are three parts that I will discuss as far as being a Godly husband. I will break each of these down and present one each over the next three blogs. In sum, a Godly husband must be a Learner, a Lover, and a Leader.

But today, I want to focus on the first requirement of being a Godly husband.

I. A Godly Husband is a Learner

1 Peter 3:7-8 7 You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Though I must do some exegesis to help you further and rightly understand the text. The phrase literally reads from the Greek, "live (dwell) together with your wives according to knowledge (gnosis). In other words, Peter is saying that the husband ought to live together with the wife according to a deep, intimate knowledge of her. He is to live life with her in a knowledgeable way.

Though the world might say, "So WHO can understand women?" the Bible says, "you can understand your wife and you will not be a good husband until get to know her." The only way a husband can get to know his wife is by SPENDING TIME WITH HER. That means, if you are going to dwell with your wife knowledgeably, then it will inevitably take much time and diligent study.

How well do you know your wife? Are you still learning about her? Or did you peak at the "learning-about-one-another" stage when you got engaged? How about dates? How often do YOU, husbands, take your wife on a date and get to know her?

Peter goes on to say, "live together with your wives according to knowledge as with a weaker vessel (lit. clay pot)." This is not saying that the wife is physically less powerful or physically weaker than the husband - though that may be true. This is saying that the husband is to care for and treat his wife as if she were the most expensive and rare of all clay pots that you had just inherited from your family. You are to treat her with the utmost gentleness and love, tender and compassion.

Why? Peter goes on to say so that your prayers may not be hindered. Some men may say, "I pray and it feels like God just isn't answering my prayers." The first thing that man ought to do is to assess his marriage and see how he is treating his wife. How is he loving her? Caring for her? Is he treating her with gentleness and care and love as he would an expensive, rare china vase?

We are to honor the Lord in this way so that our prayers are not hindered. Husbands, learn your wife. Get to know her. Study her. Learn what she likes. What she doesn't like. Spend time with her. Make her the UTMOST priority in the home - before the children, before the TV, before food, before work, before friends, whatever. You have a responsibility before God to live with your wife in a way that is "according to knowledge." May God give Godly husbands the consuming passion to honor God in and through honoring our wives.