A GOOD WIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN RUBIES
God has blessed me with a wonderful wife or I wouldn’t be where I am today. The longer I am married to her the more I appreciate the fine person she is and the more I thank God for such a special gift. Her behind-the-scenes work and faithfulness in my life and ministry is invaluable. Her faithful, deep prayer life accomplishes much for the Kingdom. She is my greatest prayer supporter.
Through her I have learned about God’s unconditional love for me, because I’ve seen it demonstrated through her. I understand God can and will forgive me for she has done that time and time again. I can trust His faithfulness better because I see it lived out in her life.
Sometimes we think we could accomplish more in life if it weren’t for the needs of our mates and families. We can resent the time they take. Perhaps I could have done more in quantity without my wife and family, but that wouldn’t have lasted. The quality would have been far less, and even so I’m sure I would not have been able to minister for so many years without her.
Learning to meet her needs first doesn’t take away from my ministry, in enriches it by maturing me. Whatever I put into her I get back many times over. Learning to put someone before myself hasn’t been easy but has been essential in marriage and ministry.
The main lessons I’ve learned in life and the greatest spiritual and emotional growth I’ve experienced in life have come through my marriage. Things haven’t always been easy or perfect. God uses our imperfections and our conflicts to teach me about humility, service, apologizing, forgiving and accepting forgiveness. These things can’t be learned from a book, only from life.
Any time you take two people who are opposites and put them together there will be struggles. Male and female, introvert and extrovert, first born and baby of the family – we are as opposite as we can be. Then add a fully active sin nature in each of us and you have a sure formula for conflict. The major lessons of life, love and growth which I’ve learned have come through my marriage and family, not my ministry. By comparison ministry is easier. Others are easier to impress, they don’t need as much from me and I can keep them at a safe distance. None of that is true of my wife and family.
The older I get and the further I go in life and ministry the more I realize that a good wife IS worth far more than rubies. And so is a good husband for you women reading this!
Ecclesiastes 31:10-12 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
Ecclesiastes 31:30-31 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
How much do you truly value your mate? How much do you resent the demands they put on you?
What do you truly sacrifice to meet your mate’s needs? What more should you be doing?
When is the last time you told them how much they mean to you? Do so now (some time today).
Spend some time in prayer thanking God for them and praying for their needs.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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