Rib to Rib

Let nothing hinder your prayers. Husbands and men, you are called to be the spiritual head of the household and you have direct accountability to Christ. Seek the best of counsel, that of your spouse, and heed it. Two have become one.

June's Message, Day 16:

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. 1 Peter 3:7 NIV

Men, for the next couple days these messages are directed at you. Ladies, now might be a good time to encourage the man in your life to actually read a message or two.

Men, we are first and foremost called to be considerate and respectful in every way to not only our spouses, but to all women, treating them each as if they were our mother or sister or daughter. It would be a very good thing to always keep that in the forefront of your mind. As to the "weaker partner," I might say only in the sense of absolute physical strength, but in no other way are they weaker, and in many unique ways, stronger. God chose to create Eve from the rib of Adam, his side, the middle of his body, not his head to be over him, and not his foot to be under him, but from his side to be equal and complementary to him. We were designed by God to be bone of the same bone, side by side, hand in hand, hip to hip, joined together to be one. One heart, one mind, in one accord, two in unity. We were not made to be mirror images of each other, but to be unique in our respective attributes so as to be complementary to each other, one filling the voids in the other, one whose strengths override the other's weaknesses. Each, as complete individuals, but better together still. The power of two in one.

Finally, I hope you didn't miss it, tucked in there at the end of the verse, "So that nothing will hinder your prayers." Men, the buck stops with you and you have direct accountability to Christ Himself. It is your responsibility to have yourself in order and your household in order. You are called to be the spiritual head of the family, and that responsibility rests solely on you. Seek your spouse's counsel in everything and heed it, but it is you, in the end, who is accountable to Christ. If it seems as if your prayers are hindered, then start the checklist with you.