Talking to a friend today reminded me of something that husbands need to keep in mind.
Women have a thousand voices shouting at their souls, accusing them of being inadequate. The voices target every sensitive area, ‘You’re not a good mother, you’re fat, you don’t have any real friends, you stink at housekeeping, you’re not cutting it at work, you’re hair is a mess, wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles, what happened to your body, you’re a bit crazy with that hormone thing, and any other microscopic flaw they can find to harass her mind and heart.
Negative comments from you, husband, magnify the voices that are already drowning out her reality. She needs no reminder that she isn’t meeting up, she already knows it – even though it’s not true! She is at constant war to keep these voices at bay. But she needs your support.[clickToTweet tweet=”Pverbs31 is not a list a wife measures up to. It’s a catalogue of compliments from her husband.” quote=”The list of praiseworthy qualities in Proverbs 31 was never meant to be a checklist for a wife to measure up to. They are a catalogue of compliments from her husband.”]
Husbands have the power to destroy the incessant voices of accusation attacking their wives. I’ve heard that the list of praiseworthy qualities in Proverbs 31 was never meant to be a checklist for a wife to measure up to. They are a catalogue of compliments from her husband. He admires her and all the things she brings to their relationship, their family, and their community. He can’t stop praising all the things he watches her do. He tells her over and over how precious she is and how much beauty she brings to everything around her.
This is the privilege of every husband. To sow confidence and strength and love into his wife’s heart. To be a never ending river of affirmation of her person. Adoring her is recognizing every good gift God has bestowed upon her while delighting to watch her use them. Wise husbands take every opportunity to praise and assure their wives. [clickToTweet tweet=”Adoring her is recognizing every good gift God has bestowed upon her while delighting to watch her use them.” quote=”Adoring her is recognizing every good gift God has bestowed upon her while delighting to watch her use them.”]
Anticipating the objections I might hear from men – I’m not talking about sugary sweet drivel that’s not sincere. I’m not talking about enabling destructive behavior and covering it with false compliments. I’m talking about noticing and declaring with confidence your wife’s natural giftedness, her inner qualities as a woman, and how she strives to be a person that makes life beautiful for you and everyone around her. A husband who does these things will successfully silence the raging voices for his wife. She will have a nobleness about her that is magnetic to others. She will have peace for her soul. She will have her anchor firmly set in your heart. No storm or wave of momentary accusation will topple her. She will be beautiful in every way. Don’t you want that?