PAGE 24
GOOD FATHER
continued from page 23
28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives
as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually
loving himself when he loves his wife.
29 No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it,
just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church.
It is in this manner that we husbands must show a
special kind of love to our wives. We must place
everything above ourselves when it comes to our wives
and to encourage them as much as possible and to give
glory to our Lord.
We live in a society that has most valuable players,
employee of the year, #1 dad, world’s best this or that.
These things must not take the place of putting all
efforts into encouraging or supporting our wives above
all else. Husbands must not be selfish, and wives this
does not give you the authority to be selfish either.
Hopefully, this will provoke obedience in our wives to
God’s word that will cause them to submit themselves
to their own husbands. And this they will do gladly
when their husbands love them with the love Christ had
for the church.
PROGRAM SUCCESS – AUGUST 2009
Earned Respect
30 And we are his body.
31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and
mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united
into one.”
32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the
way Christ and the church are one.
33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he
loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
So how do husbands earn the respect of their wives?
Husbands must love their wives as they love
themselves. You must not allow anyone or anything to
come between you and your wife. And this means our
child as well. Due you love your children, of course you
do! But that love cannot surpass the love that you
should have for your wife. Respect can be gained when
husbands apply that special love that can only work on
your wife.
Good husband, good father - this is Christ’s plan. While
it is good to have our children celebrate us on Father’s
Day, we can not ever forfeit being good husbands. This
is the most important thing! When our children see the
strong love of their parents, this will cause them to turn
out to be great parents as well!