Today is International Women’s Day – Honor the Women in Your Life!
Women, wives, and mothers are to be honored as the special creation of God. When God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion. . .,” he was not talking about the male only. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27). Male-and female reflect the image of God Himself, not a fleshly image but a spiritual image. That image includes a spirit that never ceases to exist and which reflects free moral agency, initiative, and forethought. It includes both intellect and emotion.
Man without the woman has no suitable helper and no adequate companion in all the universe. Women, wives, and mothers are to be honored as a special blessing to man. She was made from man’s rib by a miracle of God-and like man’s rib, she is to be at his side, not under his feet or over his head. Man is to make a unique place in his heart and life for his wife: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:18-24). The man who breaks these promises to make his wife first, to keep himself to her alone, and to blend his life with hers is himself a dishonor to all that is holy and good. He is to seek her well being and to share every blessing he has with her. He is to protect her and provide her every need. In blessing her, he blesses himself, for she is an honor to him! She can enlarge and enhance everything about him, for good or for bad.
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10-31 honors woman her faithfulness to her family, for her diligence in duties of life, for her bounty to those in need, and for her good name among all who know her. Her greatest honor is not physical beauty, but above all, “a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” She is beautiful for what she is and what she does.
A man honors his wife by loving her as Christ loved the church — with an unselfish love. Christ is not a tyrant a dictator, yet He has full authority in the church. How is this? It is because He won our hearts by emptying Himself in every way in order to save us. That is exactly how a man attains to his proper role as head the house. Our physical head does not direct the parts o the body to harm each other. When a man tries to be head of his wife by threats, shouts, beatings or any kind of abuse, he defeats and destroys himself. He weakens the love and respect which make it possible for him to lead. “Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (see Eph. 5:22-33). “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7).
Recognize her today!
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