The Action of Respect

What does it it look like to respect your husband?

I'm not asking what it means, I think most of us have a pretty good understanding of the definition of respect. But what does that look like?

Women will often say they respect their husbands, but do we really? Do we show them that respect by our actions? Because really that's how they will know.

As women we tend to complain a lot about our husbands (side note: this is not respect), but what stands out to me the most, is that often what women complain about is the differences between them and their husband. One of them likes something one way, the other doesn't. "Why can't they just see how my way is better?!" - seems to be the underlying statement that is being made. But what if instead we chose respect?

Let's say you hate to wash the dishes, so it's the job that you put off until the end of the day, and if you don't get to it, oh well. BUT your husband hates coming  home to see dirty dishes filling the sink and lining the counter. This daily scenario causes many spats and bickering. "Why can't he just understand that I don't like to do the dishes and it's time consuming so I don't have time to do it during the day anyway?" That's what we say. He should be the one to get over it, because let's face it, you're never going to care as much about the dishes as he does right?

True. You will never care about the dishes as much as he does. But why does that matter? Why do you have to care about the dishes to do them the way he wants you to?

Why not choose respect? If he cares that much about the dishes, do them first. To not do them, simply because you do not care as much is selfish.

The Bible tells us to submit to our husbands (Eph. 5:22, 24; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 3:11). Submission is an act of love. An act of respect.

I respect my husband for the hardworking man that he is and want him to come home to a peaceful environment  where he feels relaxed. I respect that his needs are different than my own. I respect him as the man God gave me to love and support.

I will show him that respect by doing the dishes before he gets home, even when I don't feel like it.

I can show my husband respect when I take care of his needs first. When I realize that I don't have to care about the same things as he does, but I do have to care for him.