Sunday, August 1, 2010

Completing Him Challenge: Respecting Our Husbands

Courtney tells us that today's challenge is:
It's Week #8 in our marriage challenge and this challenge is straight from the Bible:

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Your Husband!

I agree wholeheartedly with Courtney's thoughts on this. Read her post to see a list of common things women do to disrespect their husbands.

I would add the need to TRUST our husbands. If your husband has proven himself untrustworthy, then that changes things a bit, of course. However, do we really need to question him so much? Is it really necessary to "remind" him of things so often? Do we feel like he has to do things our way--like child care, washing dishes, etc.? Do we make him feel like we are "checking up on him" in his everyday interactions with other women, entertainment choices, and e-mails? (This is not to discourage open, honest accountability to one another; but I'm talking about unfounded feelings of jealousy and general distrust of our husbands.)

Courtney also said:
Sometimes we women "mock" the male "ego" - but it truly is tender. Deep down - there's insecurity and they need to know that indeed they are adequate, they are enough, they are worthy of our respect.

I know I've written about this before here and here. However, this just brought to my mind how we would feel if things were reversed. We women talk a bit more easily than men about our feelings of inadequacy--with our bodies, our abilities and talents, etc. We expect our husbands to reassure us, to let us know we are beautiful, loved and completely adequate. Yet, we have the tendency to roll our eyes when they act like the men they are and try to tell us they feel inadequate in the way that comes naturally to them.

May I gently remind you, along with Courtney, that if your husband is always bragging on himself and his abilities, it may just be that you are not bragging on him yourself? It's very simple (though not always easy) to show our husbands respect.

I accept the challenge, and I hope you will, too. Let's do what we can to make our husbands feel as respected this week as we want them to make us feel loved.

5 comments:

  1. Super post! Great reminder to look deeper to make sure their needs are met. Also to trust them and not hover over them to "make sure it was done". Great reminder and points to be a better help meet! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. So many good pieces of advice in this post. Each successively knocking the former out of "first place" on my "must remember list". I think I should add a permanent link to this article from my own blog. Okay by you?

    I especially appreciate the counsel about bragging. You are so right. When my husband starts patting himself on his own shoulder I know that I have fallen short in acknowledging him. Sometimes I am not so quick to figure it out. Thanks for the reminder. Today may be one of those days when he needs my appreciation.

    I'm here from Women Living Well Completing Him Challenge this week. I am so glad that I came.

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  3. Thanks for your comments, ladies!

    Yes, Sharon, you may add a permanent link. I would appreciate it.

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  4. Praying for God's richest blessings on your marriage!

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