Thursday, June 3, 2010

What Women Offer


A new revelation.  At least for me and a prayer partner.  Yesterday, as we were walking, we began talking about how our husbands respond to us.  Have you ever noticed that when God addresses us as husbands and wives that he begins speaking to the wives first?  (I Peter 3, Ephesians 5)  Maybe it's easier to get our attention...or maybe we're more emotional and, as a whole, more open to God....or maybe it's because we can multitask.  

Maybe it's because God created our husbands to be responders to us as women.  I mean...think of the whole "wow factor" when God created Eve.  Adam looked at her and said, "WOW!"  (Some even think he said, "WOWWEEE!!)  Man responds to woman.   But with that whole "respond-factor" comes great responsibility.  God didn't give this to us as women to manipulate our husbands, but to use it carefully and with great respect.  In I Peter 3, God whispers of this secret to us.  He tells us if our husbands are unbelieving, to offer them our gentle and quiet spirit....and they'll respond. 

Women have been making offers through the ages.  Eve offered Adam sin.  Esther offered Ahasuerus deliverance for her people.  Abigail offered a sacrifice to David because of her husband's foolishness.  Jezebel offered the death of prophets to Ahab.  Tamar offered herself as a prostitute to Judah.  Ruth offered submission to Boaz.  Rahab offered a hiding place to the spies.  Sarah offered Abraham fearlessness.  Mary offered life to Joseph.  You need to study these women.  Each man had a response, in kind, to the offer each woman made.

As women, we are constantly offering something to our husbands.  We can offer a pure heart, a gentle and quiet spirit, respect, submission and fearlessness....or we can offer manipulation, sin, control, disdain, fear...which all lead to death.

Don't think you don't have something to offer!  You do.  And your husbands will respond to whatever you offer.  One way or another.

5 comments:

Sue said...

I think God is preparing you to lead a women's conference on being godly wives!

I know I would love to sit under the out pouring of wisdom the Lord has been imparting to you!

Sue said...

(I've already begun studying 1 Peter 3, hoping it doesn't take me 16 years to 'get it')!

Becky Dietz said...

You're sweet, Sue! I can't wait to hear your insight on I Peter 3!!

By the way, got all the clothes you left at mom's house. THANK YOU!

Sandra said...

Sorry to leave such a non-spiritual comment...but, I couldn't help thinking of the mom on the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding saying
"The man may be the head, but the woman is the neck and she can move the man any direction she wants to."
There is a little bit of truth in that. :-)

Kara said...

Oooh this is good. I will have to read this tomorrow morning in my quiet time and get back to you.