21 Feb 2009 08:38 PM

Jesus served the church as an example of how husbands should serve their wife.

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26 (NIV)

As men, we are for the most part, the protectors of the home. We lock the doors and look outside for any predators that threaten our cars, house and family. We install security systems and lights to create a Death Star-type force field around the house. And don’t even think about getting anywhere near a man’s wife while he is around. He circles her like a hyena with a fresh kill. He is watching and waiting. Ready to defend, protect, and to sacrifice himself for her.

Anyway, I remember a friend telling me he was upset at his wife because she kept asking him to wash the dishes after dinner. They both had jobs and they had one son. His wife didn’t ask him to wash the dishes every night, but he felt like she was asking him to wash dishes because she wanted to control him. “She can’t stand to see me relax.” he said. As soon as he would sit down, his wife would be there asking him to do some chore, or fix something in the house.

I asked him if he would be willing to take a bullet for his wife. He looked surprised but he readily said “yes, without hesitation.” He said if the biggest and meanest of beasts came toward his wife, he would jump in front of it and die to save her. But when it came to washing dishes, it was just his wife trying to control him and as the head of the household, he would not be controlled. He was a Christian man and cited his reasoning in the bible, Eph 5:23 says the husband was the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.

Christ, as the head of the church came to serve. John 13: 3 says:

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water onto a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."

Though the Father had put all things under His power, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, God wrapped up in flesh washed his disciples’ feet in service to them. Does that mean you should run to your job with a bucket filled with water and a bar of soap and wash your co-workers feet? I am not sure if they would take that the right way, but how about doing that for your wife?

The true Heavenly Husband lives in service to his wife as Christ lived in service to the church. So the next time your wife asks you to do the dishes, take out the trash or to change a poopy diaper, rejoice in the Lord that you get another opportunity to be like Christ. Rejoice that you have another opportunity to provide a godly example for your wife. And finally, rejoice that you are another step towards becoming a Heavenly Husband.

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Dale Harcombe (13234) 01 Mar 2009 07:21 PM

Lovely blog and great examples.

Dale Harcombe (13234) 01 Mar 2009 08:00 PM

Meant to say i linked to this on my latest blog http://christian.families.com/blog/the-bible-is-a-book-of-contrasts

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