Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Men, Be Strong!

I just love to read books by author Richard Fugate. For one he is a godly man who loves the Word of God. And for another, he is very candid and seems to be a 'black or white' kind of thinker.

As part of the forward of his book What the Bible Says About Being a Man he has a little quiz for both husbands and wives....if you're brave enough to take it. Ryan and I revisited it tonight, and I think we did better than we did a few years ago (by the grace of our loving Lord). Are you ready?

Signs that a man relates to his wife as being the leader of the family:


- When he looks to her to make all of the plans for the family.
- When he tells the children to "ask your mom" for all directions.
- When he depends on his wife to decide when to leave an event.
- When he can never win in a discussion with his wife.
- When he is too intimidated to direct his wife and family.
- When he would be too afraid to show his wife a list like this.
- (this one is my own addition) When he defaults to his wife to discipline the children.

Signs that a wife behaves as if she were in charge of the family:


- When she thinks her financial contribution makes her a full partner in marriage (in other words, she is the only one capable of making financial decisions)
- When she always commands him what to do.
- When she corrects him whenever he is not perfectly accurate in public.
- When she scolds him like a son in front of the children.
- When she takes over tasks he has started because she thinks he is too slow or that she has a better way.
- When he dreads coming home late, even with a valid reason, because of the third degree he will have to face (or the cold shoulder)
- When she hinders him from using proper discipline on their delinquent children.
(words in italic are mine)


So, how did you do? The two that I have tried desperately to eliminate completely from my behavioral habits are correcting him in front of the children and giving him a hard time about arriving late in the evening. The first stems from thinking I know what's best for 'my children'. And the latter pours out of me when I need some back-up at the home front. Fortunately, I received a 'much improved' from Ryan. But oh that I would grow to have a "gentle and quiet spirit" and live beautifully before my Savior.

I once heard a grown man give an account of his parents' relationship with one another. I'll never forget one thing he said and it was this - "I never once heard my mom speak a word of disrespect to my father." That is truly something -  and that, ladies, speaks love to our husbands.

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