It used to be that the men would go and study in the synagogues and come home and teach their wives and children–a woman didn’t get to read the Scriptures for herself during the week. Then on Sundays (for the Christians) she would listen during the meeting and could ask her husband questions at home. A woman could pray, and was expected to, but she couldn’t have what we now call a quiet time which includes Bible study. She certainly would not lead a Bible study like this. She would meditate on the Scriptures she had hidden in her heart during meetings and family worship times.
I am thankful that we as women have access to God’s word, but in some ways I think we are at a disadvantage when it comes to respecting and honoring our husbands. I want my husband to lead me and teach me, but because I have been immersed in God’s word since I was a small girl he sometimes feels that he has nothing he can teach me, and I am tempted to try to teach him instead. . .because many of us work at home taking care of our families, we often have more time to study than our husbands do and that can make us feel spiritually superior to them.
I am not saying that we should stop reading and studying our Bibles–I am so thankful I can read it, and have it available for teaching my children during the day when my husband is at work. Proverbs makes it pretty clear that wives play a role alongside their husbands in the teaching of their children. But it is so important for us to remember that a spiritual woman is not one who spends her day reading the Bible and praying to the neglect of her husband and children, and who then lords her spirituality over her husband. I confess to being tempted by this throughout my marriage, and it is sin. God is not pleased with my arrogance. A spiritual woman obeys the word as she loves her husband and children, is self-controlled, pure, a worker in her home, kind, submissive to her own husband, is modest, has a gentle and quiet spirit, respects her husband, raises her children with faith, love and holiness, is faithful to do good works, is diligent instead of lazy, speaks only well of her husband and is trustworthy, can guard her tongue, is hospitable and helps those in affliction. . .
Psalm 86:11 asks the Lord, “Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; UNITE my heart to FEAR Your name.” My prayer for us is that our time of Bible study and meditation on truth will renew our minds so that we can serve our families the way God intends for us to. In this way we will defeat Satan’s intentions for our family, and this is spiritual indeed! Proverbs says the virtuous woman is one who fears the Lord and her description in chapter 31 is of a hard working, loving wife who honors her husband in all her words and actions, doing him good all the days of her life, caring for the needs of her family and the poor, teaching with wisdom and kindness–she supports her husband, with no thought for herself or her own glory, so he can succeed in the role God has given him as an elder in the land.
Father, unite my heart to fear You so that I will obey Your command to respect, honor and submit to my husband. Make me the helper he needs so he can devote himself to the calling you’ve placed on his life. Thank you that it is spiritual to serve in my home and in my church family and that when I do this I give no opportunity to Satan for slander. Please keep me from being deceived by Satan’s lies. Help me to believe Your word and obey and love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
