For Want Of Praise

One important responsibility that many husbands seem to neglect is giving praise to their wives. Their comments made to others are often critical, unkind, unnecessary and unbecoming. In fact, much to my disappointment, I have listened while some husbands have made ugly statements about their wives to other men and even to large groups.

The disgust of degrading one’s wife is not whether or not the statements have any degree of truth in them, but what right does a husband have to criticize her publicly? What has he done to diminish the beauty and elegance of the bride he chose to marry? Has he been supportive and demonstrated sacrificial love? Where has the “love of his life” gone? And what did he do to “injure” the person he “could not live without?” How God must grieve when such behavior occurs.

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all,” would be encouraging words to any wife. Set aside false measures of attainment for a moment and overlook flaws and faults. Kind words and “husbandly help” and support can solve most problems in a relationship. Too often wives do their very best only to be criticized and condemned and not offered help.

In my many years as a pastor and family counselor, a common denominator in failed relationships was criticism and condemnation. It did not matter what the root causes were, one or the other would seize on a symptom and enlarge it beyond any possibility of resolution and the result led to disaster. How sad!

Consider the rewards of praise. We all need it. We all want it. The demands of managing a home and raising children are often dumped on the wife and when expectations are unmet, criticism begins, praise ends and families unravel unnecessarily.

Prayer: Lord, enable husbands to search for ways to praise their “helpmates” and not hurt or harm them by wicked words. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”