The Dumbest Thing You Can Say To Your Wife

“Woman, you will never change me!”

Fist clenched to the heavens, jaw tightened in a grimace; this has sadly been too frequent of a philosophy or refrain from we husbands through the years.

It’s a stance fueled by idiotic conversations with buddies at sports bars, unfair caricatures of women as overbearing and shameful rantings of popular culture.

But regardless of its origins, this sentiment is among the most foolish and wasteful for a husband to embrace and invariably allows him to create his own monster.

That is, a crabby, cantankerous and ultimately lonely man.

The wisest and happiest of husbands knows all too well how a praying wife offers high grade godly counsel. Those men smart enough to learn this at an early stage in their marriage will reap blessings beyond compare.

“22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.”
Prov 18:22

Unfortunately, I was a slow study myself. Although I would never have anticipated this when I first got married, most of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life have passed through the lips of my wife.

If only I had listened! How easier our paths would have been tread!

We men have a tendency to push away the counsel of our dearly beloveds, only because we don’t like what we hear. Let’s face it. Truth hurts.

But Truth also heals. Truth strengthens. And Truth prospers us.

The key, kind ladies, is not sharing via a clanging cymbal. Not broken recordy, scratch-on-the-chalkboard, howling at the moon in the silvery light sharing.

But sharing through respect. Sharing with love.

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
1 Cor: 4-7

Even the power of love and truth provide no guarantees. After all we are men.

Arrogance. Machoism. Self-reliance. These are the cotton balls in the ears of grossly under-achieving men.

But don’t give up on us, dear brides. Pray for us. Continue to share Truth with courage, grace and respect.

Because even if the old dude won’t listen. God hears every word.

Discover more of Michael K. Reynold’s encouraging truth in Faith Learned From My Kids

Click here to learn more about gifted author Michael K. Reynolds

Featured Image Dick van Dyke Show Courtesy of parade.com