Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. —1 Peter 3:7
For some reason, I have spent my life surrounded by women. In addition to my mother—the most significant woman in my early life—I had a sister eight years older than me. Then when I was eight, I was blessed with a little sister and her twin brother as a bonus. There I was, bookended by women. When I got married to my late wife, Bobbie, another woman was added to my life. We had two children, both girls. In 1996 our first grandchild was born, a little girl. Then, after Bobbie stepped into heaven, I married again. Another woman was added to the ladies’ choir.
“Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,” the apostle Peter wrote (v. 7). Some foolish men have taken these words to mean they have a right to lord it over the anemic women in their lives, but that picture of women is dead wrong. A more accurate picture of women—at least the ones in my life—is like visiting a beachside gift shop when we’re on vacation. You know, the ones that are filled with scented candles and seemingly millions of elegant, breakable knickknacks.
“Weaker” means more elegant, delicate, tender, valuable, and beautiful—more ex- quisite. These women need more respect, more honor, and more finesse than I would need if I were walking the aisles of a hardware or a sporting goods store. And “weaker” certainly doesn’t mean “weaker.” How do I know this? From personal experience.
When my older sister, Ruth, was eleven years old, our parents took a short-term missionary assignment to Japan. Unfortunately, the only option for an American school was seventy-five miles away. My sister had three younger brothers ages nine, seven, and five. She was in charge of us—a one-mile walk, a bus ride, a train ride, a change of trains in a crowded station, another train ride, and a two-mile walk—each way, every day. She was tough and smart, and nobody messed with us. Twelve years later, Ruth married Stan and raised three children. When her children went off to school, she went back to school herself and got her broker’s license, eventually building her own business and handling the personal wealth of dozens of clients. She’s not exactly “weak,” if you know what I mean.
Then there’s my younger sister, my special buddy. During my years of adolescent rebellion and self-doubt, Debbie saw the good in me. She encouraged me. As a grown woman, she has been a mom to four gifted children—homeschooling them for many years. In the middle of this, she taught English to Polish immigrants, started several successful businesses, led worship at a large church, stood fearlessly as a political activist, and was hired as a key fundraiser for a large relief ministry. She’s not exactly “weak” either, if you know what I mean.
I could go on and on about my mother, both of my wives, and my daughters. And you could tell me your stories of the important women in your life.
The apostle gave us a summary of these incredible women, and he commanded us to honor and respect them because of their beauty, courage, and stamina. Women are incredible, aren’t they?
Going back to that gift store, maybe you’ve seen the little signs they often have on the shelves that are surrounded by all those beautiful things. It reads: “Beautiful to look at, lovely to hold. Break one of these, and baby, it’s sold.” No kidding.
So there you go.