By Stacy R. Miller

Titus 2:4,5 “that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

As I was reading in Titus 2, I thought it was interesting to note that in verse 4, the first item on the list was for a woman to love her husband. When we make a to-do list, we usually put the most important items at the top of the list. For this item to be first on the list in scripture, the Lord is showing us that it is very important. In verse 5, we find that she is to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to her husband. In today’s society, men don’t get much respect. Television makes husbands and fathers look like complete idiots. Sadly, that attitude is even permeating Christian homes. That must be why we are commanded in Eph. 5:33 to respect our husband.

For those who are newly married, or are struggling in their marriages, I wanted to give some practical advice on how to ‘love your husband,’ as the Word mandates. We need to understand that our love for our husband is seen by how we speak to him and how we speak about him. It is seen by how we take care of him and what we do to serve him. Mt. 6:21 tells us that where our treasure is, our heart will be found. Where is your treasure? Do you see your husband as a precious treasure from the Lord? Do you treat him as such? What we do and say about our husband is often our ‘pulpit.’ People can learn much about us, just by observing how we treat our husband, whether he is present or not.

I try to honor my husband by having my daughter straighten up the family room before he comes home. I try to have a meal fixed and ready for him. Entering a house that has a sense of order, and the pleasant aroma of food is inviting to a man. (I am ‘preaching’ to him that he is important to me, simply by what I do for him.) Sometimes I will even turn on some soft, soothing worship music to greet him as he walks in the door. My daughter will often question why it’s so important to make the house look nice “just for Daddy.” From my ‘pulpit,’ I am trying to teach her that Daddy is important, and that when he comes home at the end of a long day, he doesn’t want to see messes everywhere. Chances are high that he probably spent most of his day working in ‘messes.’ He needs a nice, quiet, inviting place to relax and unwind.

Just a few nights ago, Dean didn’t get home until around 10PM. I have to admit, by 10PM, I was tired. I didn’t feel like entering my ‘pulpit’ again, but because my desire is to honor my Christ in all that I do, I hopped up from the couch the minute I heard his truck door slam shut. I met him at the door and asked if he had taken time to eat supper. After he stated that he hadn’t, and that he was very hungry, I began pulling things out of the refrigerator, and in a matter of minutes, I had a big plate of hot food fixed and ready to eat. I literally felt a second wind come into my body, giving me the energy to serve him, and to do it gladly. I would venture to say that my attitude in serving my husband as if I were serving the Lord had a lot to do with that added burst of energy. I enjoyed putting the meal together for him.

In Titus 2:4, the children were listed as second on the priority list. While in the middle of trying to get Dean’s meal together, Rachel approached me, wanting some attention. I gently, but firmly told her that I was taking care of her Daddy, so she would need to wait until I was finished getting his food fixed. This was another way of honoring him. He heard me telling her, in so many words, that my husband comes before her.

You can probably think of some things around the house that your husband likes done, just by thinking of comments he has made. If he complains of the clutter, enter the ‘clutter pulpit’ and try to work on reducing that clutter. I don’t mean doing it all in one day, but do a little every day. Before you know it, the house will look much better, and you will be honoring your husband.