Men and women are different. If you have any
doubt, just ask any OBGYN at the moment of birth. There is a difference. They say
“boy” or “girl” based on the outward sign of that difference. But that
difference is much deeper than our DNA and even the cultural roles that get
learned over a lifetime.
The reason I start with the fact of this
difference is because I don’t want to make the Scriptures into a politically
correct document. Our text today states that when a wife reflects the LORD in
her character it helps her husband. But when his wife does not have godly
character it will drive him nuts. (Well, that is not exactly what it says, but
when was the last time you talked about your bones in a normal conversation!)
When a husband has a wife who reflects well
on him by her actions, his place in society is elevated. This has been true
even in our falling culture. When a political figure gets involved with other
people’s wives, their career used to be over. Their standing in the community
was tainted. Their character is questioned and they drop a notch on the believability
scale. If they are willing to do this, what else are they willing to do?
If you doubt the previous statement, just
ask the other husband how he feels about his wife cheating on him. Or for that
matter ask the politician’s wife how she feels about his integrity.
You see, there is often talk about “openness”
and “acceptance” of sexual practices, but when it comes home unexpectedly, all
those words are shown to be hot air. We say it is OK, but what we really mean
is it is OK for other people’s marriages, but it had better not happen in mine.
We could say that when a husband has that
same godly character his wife feels safe and secure. Even professional women
want to know that when they get home they won’t find another woman in her bed
and taking care of her children.
There is nothing to compare to the pain of
the betrayal of intimacy that happens when affairs come home. The pain and
depression sinks deeply into the injured person’s soul. They “hurt” in ways they
never thought possible, like decay in the bones.
We are not androgynous, interchangeable units.
We are men and women. We are made this way on purpose, not by the accumulation
of innumerable accidents of unguided Nature, but by the Creator who has a purpose
for our lives and relationships. When we obey, we reflect His character and
bring the best out in each other.