Fathers

By John Weaver

May 1, 2024

Father's Day. What is it? How should we celebrate? In this country, the average amount a person spends on gifts is $115.00! If dads are not honored, it is not because insufficient money is spent.

Much of that money is spent by wives for their husbands. It has been said that on Mother's Day, we honor and bless mothers, but on Father's Day, we remind fathers of their duties and obligations and where they fall short.

I believe that Dads should also be honored, not because they always deserve it, but because God would have you do that. (Some dads end up in prison - or should. I’m sorry if that is your dad. It would be tough to honor such a person). By far, most dads are hard-working providers, giving of themselves for their wives and children. There has never been even one perfect dad. Jesus would have been, but He was not a dad.

So what should you give your dad? Or your husband? I will focus especially  on what a wife can give her husband. Forget the presents at the store - at least don't make that the priority. He will probably appreciate a meal at his favorite restaurant, but I can tell you what he really wants. He does not want a $115.00 present. What he wants from you costs no money but is worth a lot. It is priceless. He craves it from you.

Please hear me…What your husband wants from you more than anything else is simply HONOR AND RESPECT.

Ephesians 5:33 instructs husbands to love their wives. Then, it tells wives to see that they reverence their husbands. How many wives understand what reverence is? I am sure many of you do. I am also sure that many don't.

Rev-er-ence. “Regard or treat with deep respect.” Reverence goes beyond respect. It is a deeper form of the word. Many a husband would long to receive respect, let alone reverence. Again, I know that many fine ladies who read this do respect or reverence their husbands. But again, many do not.

If you are a wife who thinks your husband does not deserve respect or reverence, then you are probably right. We don't. But if we are believers, we certainly understand that none of us deserve salvation. We are not saved because we deserve it. We are saved because someone else loved us despite our shortcomings. 

The prodigal son tried to tell his father that he didn't deserve to be treated like he was. The father treated him the way he did because he was his son. It had nothing to do with earning. In the same way, we dads can never live up to what we should be. Can you give honor and respect like the prodigal's father did? Not because we earned or deserved it, but because of our position.

God created wives to be a helpmeet for their husbands. Many are that. Some go way beyond the line of duty. As I write this, I keep thinking of abusive husbands. Please, I am not even suggesting that you need to respect an abuser. But I see too often that a wife becomes a “correct-meet” rather than a “help-meet” to her husband. Such a husband will be put under a law of expectation. He will not be able to function correctly if an expectation is placed on him by his wife. He certainly won’t if he knows he doesn't quite measure up. Or can't.

Sorry to you, Godly wives, that I had to go where this article led me. I give a great shout-out to you and no condemnation, just encouragement if you see yourselves as a correct-meet at times. We all fall short. Sometimes.

Husbands love your wives... and wives see that you reverence your husbands.

 

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