Resources/Articles
Wives: Do You Boo Your Husband?
While dating, a young woman believes her young boyfriend can conquer the world because he has “conquered” her heart. He is the strongest, most courageous, most protective, and most ambitious man she knows or will ever know.
Once married for a while, the wife can turn from her husband’s biggest cheerleader to his biggest critic. When she does, a wife is engulfed in loneliness, discouragement, disappointment, and frustrations. She enters the door to a “pity party” where her girlfriends are participating in the same party, and she cannot sleep for all the scolding of her husband taking place in her mind. Sometimes her husband hears all the “Boos” and “Ughs.” Sometimes he does not. As this tug-of-war is going on in her heart, she is less content and less joyful. This is all because she sees what her husband DOES NOT do rather than what he DOES. She will only appreciate who she WISHES he were, not who he IS.
Ephesians 5.33 says, “…and let the wife see that she respect her husband.” What a wonderful attitude of a wife to have. Are you, as a wife, respectful for who your husband is, or are you WISHING he would help you more, listen more, lead more spiritually, or be more attentive to your needs? More, more, more, more, and more - is this what your husband does not give, therefore you BOO him MORE?
Wives, admittedly, do a lot, a lot, and a lot without notice, recognition, or appreciation, which is something more husbands need to see and appreciate. But do you BOO him more than you CHEER him?
Many men receive “cheers” as a boy on the baseball or football field. Some received a lot of encouragement from mentors growing up and telling them to work harder. Someone has told your husband he was good at something. Coaches have praised him. Fans applauded him. His biggest day for “cheers” were the day he looked into your eyes, presented his marriage proposal, and heard you say, “YES!!!” Then, you became his #1 cheerleader. A few months and years later, does he walk in the door after a long, hard day and hear “BOOOOO!”?
As a wife, you are known by God to be your husband’s helper. Are you now God’s helper to your husband? His mistakes may be glaring and profound, but are they more profound than his godliness, playtime with your children, leading prayer during worship service, washing the dishes last week, buying a new coffeemaker, mowing the grass, or taking the car to the repair shop?
A wife’s respectful tone of admiration and attention to what her husband does can create in him the desire to do more for her and some of those are efforts at things he has never done before for you. He may not be angry or defensive by receiving more “BOOs” than “YAHs,” but it bothers him. It takes the wind out of his said, when he is looking for you be the wind beneath his wings. You redress whom he has already dressed. You mop what he has already mopped. You tell him to do what he has already done. You say to him what you wish he would say. Is there anything “right” he can do?
Every wife is her husband’s greatest gift from God. She comes with so many joys and blessings attached. She completes him. Her life changes him in ways she does not have to say a word to initiate. His joy is your happiness. Make God the most important to you, not your husband. Then you will be for your husband all God intended for you to be, and he becomes one incredible man and husband. YAH!!!
