Because of his wife...

This topic dropped in my heart after I overheard something similar in by way of a comment about a Pastor - or rather about his wife. As you'd expect, it got me thinking about what things my husband gains or loses "because of me" - his wife.

The Bible gives us examples or exhortations on what men gain or lose because of their wives. In fact, we have more than 1 example of men, leaders - actually kings - who lost their relationship with God "because of their wives."

1 Kings 21:25 - So Ahab sold himself out to do what the Lord says is evil. There is no one who did as much evil as Ahab and his wife Jezebel, who caused him to do these things. *

1 Kings 11:4 - When Solomon was old, his wives caused him to follow other gods, so he did not follow the Lord completely as his father David did.*

Then in Proverbs which was mainly written by Solomon, who missed it because of his wives, we read that:

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, & he receives favor from the Lord.**

A worthy wife is her husband’s joy and crown; the other kind corrodes his strength and tears down everything he does. (Proverbs 12:4 - TLB)

Further in Proverbs, because of his wife, a husband - also known as the "Proverbs 31 Man" was described to another leader - a king - by his mother this way:

"Her husband is a well-known and respected leader in the city." (Proverbs 31:23 - CEV)

Proverbs 31: 11 shown below in different translations, explains why he was respected:

Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. (MSG)

The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely,

so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil. (AMPC)

The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence],
and he will have no lack of gain. (AMP)

Her husband depends on her, and she never lets him down. (CEV)

Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. (NLT)

Reading these I can't help but challenge myself to do what verse 12 says:

"She does good for her husband all her life. She never causes him trouble." (ERV)

 



The way I see it, as a wife, Mrs Pastor or not, it's always in your best interest to do good to and for your husband. When you do that, he will trust you and beyond that, you will be evidence that God is happy with your husband - and blessed him with you as Proverbs 18:22 reminds us

"If you find a wife, you have found something good.

She shows that the Lord is happy with you."*

And, if, or shall I say when a Pastor is happy, blessed and respected because of his wife, she will be happy, blessed and respected because of her husband...

References:
* ERV, emphasis mine

** Proverbs 18: 22