A Call to Husbands

Fellow husbands, what we have at our sides are the very daughters of God. Their only flaws are those their Father gave them. You can’t do better than that. So let's recommit. Let's take what we started to a new level. Let's stop being afraid of them and embrace them – flaws and all. But let’s do it Gods way – because we know we are incapable of doing it any other way. With God on our side, it'll be easy. Here's what we'll do...

We’ll begin by cultivating the manner in which we see our wives. We'll remember that they are the very daughters of God. We'll look at them every day with new eyes and see them. We'll look past all else and see them as they were and will be and truly are and compare them to no one. We'll find quiet moments and open our hearts to their Heavenly Father and let Him tell us about them.

Second, we'll take a last look at any shortcomings they may have and remember that those shortcomings are gifts from their Father in Heaven. Then we’ll ask that Heavenly Father of theirs to help us let go. We'll wave goodbye forever to any hurts they may have caused - big and small. We'll forgive all the past and we'll forgive all the future. We'll find that we can no longer be hurt by those shortcomings because we'll understand what they are and we'll learn to take our peace from our God. When the father of lies holds them back up to our remembrance, we'll chuckle and dismiss him and love them all the more. We'll find joy in this true forgiveness and practice it like a favorite hobby.

Third, we'll cherish our wives. We'll open up our hearts again to their Heavenly Father and let Him tell us just how we can bless them. Then we'll choose a special way to serve them and we'll do it often and well. We'll do it without comment and our only intent will be to remind them of their divinity. (clip. catch the part about the love letters - it's an idea!) We'll treat them like goddesses at every opportunity. Then we'll bask in the love for them that the service generates and just to be in the same room with them will be a gift.

Fourth, we'll listen to them. We'll put away our toolboxes and we'll listen. We'll set aside time and ask questions and astound them with godly empathy. We'll forget ourselves, our needs and our tendency to apply fixes and we'll absorb their words and we'll find in those words a lullaby the likes of which we haven't heard since our mothers sang us to sleep.

Finally, we'll man up. We'll watch over them, we'll back them up and we'll protect them and defend them to all and to the end. We'll shelter them and build them up. We'll take their hands and walk the narrow path together. We'll grow old with their hands in ours and we'll find our lives returned to us in that unity. We'll do it in our own ways and we’ll have fun and we’ll find our joy.

And then how we'll feel to sing the song of redeeming love! Then how we'll understand our Heavenly Father and something more of what our Brother is.