My Hero!
In marriage, one of the primary needs that husbands most frequently mention may surprise you. It's admiration. That's right, ladies. Your husband has a very real need to know you admire him. God points to the importance of this need in the book of Ephesians 5:33b:
…and [let] the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband - that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates him and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly. (Eph. 5:33b Amp.)That's quite a mouthful, isn't it? The reason God puts such an emphasis on this is, because it is so vitally important to a man. He needs admiration to function properly as the mighty spiritual warrior God created him to be.
Have you ever noticed the way little boys will show off for little girls? If so, you know this need to be admired surfaces early and continues right on into adolescence as teenage boys go to great lengths to impress any girl who happens to be watching.
Some women simply think such attempts at admiration-evoking are just a male "pride thing." But they're wrong. The need for admiration is a God-designed facet of the male ego. And that ego, when properly fueled, will propel and energize a man to do the things God has called him to do.
He Needs to Hear It From You
Be assured, ladies, nothing will light your man's fire any faster than to have you, the woman he loves, tell him how great he is and that he's your knight in shining armor.
When that happens, he'll be ready to conquer the world. When it doesn't happen, he'll become a target for the devil. You see, this is an area that is frequently exploited by Satan to get men involved in extramarital affairs.
If a man is getting nothing but criticism at home and then goes to the office where some pretty little secretary treats him like he's superman, he's ripe for the picking.
Remember that and don't let the enemy deceive you into focusing on what is wrong with your man. Don't let him magnify those faults until they're all you can see. Instead, choose to begin focusing on admiring those things that are right.
A word of warning is in order here, ladies. Although it is vital you express your admiration for your husband, don't ever make empty, flattering comments. He will detect the insincerity of them and they will drive a wedge between you.
The Qualities Are There
Be genuine. Let the admiration emanate from your heart. If you have a hard time finding qualities you admire about your husband right now, then ask the Holy Spirit to show you some. They may be hard to see right now, but they're there.
I know a lady, for example, who absolutely hated the fact that her husband was so hardheaded. He wouldn't listen to anything anybody had to say. Then one day the Spirit of the Lord showed her that what appeared to be hardheadedness would actually become determination once he received direction from the Lord.
From then on, that wife saw her husband in a whole new light. She recognized the gift of God in him and it enabled her to admire something very important about him.
God will do the same thing for you if you'll trust Him to reveal things to you about your husband. I promise you, you'll be amazed at all the wonderful qualities you'll find.
Excerpt permission granted by Living Word International