Because we give ourselves to a loving God who deserves our very best, we are free to give our husbands the treasure of a Godly wife who will always seek his well-being no matter what.

Bible Studies for Women

Daughters of Sarah: Wives of Great Worth

What About Our Rights?

"Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king" (2:17).

"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33).

Your husband is King in your home. Are you showing him proper respect?

"But, what if my husband is unworthy of respect?" you ask.

"Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God" (2:18-19).

While this passage is referring to slaves and wives are not slaves, the principle remains the same. Are you being treated unfairly? Are you not getting your "rights" as a wife? Is your husband not treating you as he is commanded to do in God's Word?

Here is news: You have no rights! If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you gave them all up to Christ. Your Lord Jesus Christ holds all rights to your life.

"But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (2:20-21).

Our wonderful Lord does not require from us anything that he did not first submit himself to.

We are not advocating here that women endure beatings. This was written to slaves, and while we can adapt some of the principles to our role as wives, wives are never commanded to endure physical abuse from their husbands. However, he gave us a perfect example of how to deal with a malicious and verbally abusive husband:

"'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (2:22-23).

Do you think he did this with an attitude of, "Well, they are wrong. But this is what I have to do, so I will do it. But I begrudge it!"

No! His attitude was, "I love these people. They are undeserving, but that does not change my love." He also did it because of love toward his Father. He knew it was his Father's will.

These are the two reasons we choose to ignore the failures in our husbands and to be all God wants to give them in a wife. We choose to be God's gift to our husbands in love. Because we give ourselves to a loving God who deserves our very best, we are free to give our husbands the treasure of a Godly wife who will always seek his well-being no matter what.

It is immaterial whether our husband is deserving or not. By virtue of our husband's position and the authority God has given him we confess our wilfulness and unworthiness before God and ask God to enable us to present the gift of a Godly wife to our husbands.

We know our husbands may not be always following what is best for us. But we, as Jesus, entrust ourselves to him who judges justly.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" (2:24).

We no longer have to live in our sinful rebellion and quarrelsomeness. He has paid the price to rescue us. We have bowed our heads in shame for our willfulness and he has set us free. He has healed our sin-sick attitudes. He is making us into wives of great worth to our husbands.

"For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (2:25).

No longer will we walk the stray and lonely path that demands it's own rights. We have returned to our Shepherd who is overseeing our well-being. Praise the Lord!