Charge to wives (1 Peter 3:1-6)

1IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
2When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your [a] reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].
3Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] [b] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes;
4But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
5For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].
6It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].



I wonder....
Do I really treat my husband with reverence, admiration, and devotion?
How often do I honor him in word and deed?
Do I praise him enough?
Do I do my chores and housework knowing by these things I am loving him? Or I am mostly about complaining or nagging or being discouraged by his imperfections?
Do I cover over his imperfections or do I make him well aware that I know each and every one of them by name?

I can tell you that I only sometimes treat Clint the way I should treat him. Ladies, our husbands have been given to us so that we may encourage and love and respect them. We have the wonderful honor of serving them which can include so many different things: encouraging them by our words (instead of criticizing them), supporting them in the decisions they make, praying over them, pointing them to the Lord, even cleaning our houses, taking care of the kids, and yes, even doing the dreaded laundry, can all be acts of love to our spouses. Those chores can also be dreaded obstacles in our day that we hold over their head. Anyone ever been there? Let's spur each other on to be the wives that God designed us to be.