Recent Devotionals

It’s a confession most moms will make: We put our children before our husbands.

After all, don’t our children need us more? Husbands can take care of themselves. They’re capable, independent, self-sufficient. They are satisfied to just go off to their man cave and watch their favorite sports channel all by themselves. And since the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the grease, our kids usually get the attention.

But this is not God’s design for the family. In 1 Peter, God teaches wives that our husbands come before our children. A wife’s primary responsibility and loyalty is, after God, to her husband. Why is this so hard to do? Don’t our children need us more? This is where we go wrong.

Husbands do a great job of appearing not-needy. But they have needs every bit as important as our children’s—specifically, the need for unconditional love and respect. And they need to receive that love and respect on the basis of grace and mercy, not on the basis of their performance.

It’s not popular today, but wives are told by the apostle Paul to submit to their husbands. Submission is a way of lifting them up and showing respect and admiration. There is a headship in marriage and God has put husbands in that role. (Ephesians 5:23) The best thing a mother can do for her young children is to love and respect their father.

What do your words and actions at home say about your love and respect for your husband? Maybe it’s time to examine who’s getting most of our attention and who is going unnoticed. We might forget the groceries or even forget carpool, but whatever we do, let’s not forget our husbands.

And the next time he slips off into his man cave, maybe you should go with him-- not as a distraction, but as the main attraction.

Heavenly Father, Please help me to give my husband the attention he deserves, to love and respect him as the Church loves and respects Jesus Christ. Amen.