How to Be an Effective Witness at Home
I Peter 3:1-12
Preached by Pastor Tony Miano
Pico Canyon Community Church
March, 2001
Introduction: This morning we’re going to talk about how we can be effective witnesses in our homes. In our passage for today, I Peter 3:1-12, we’re going to tackle some issues and circumstances that some of you may be very sensitive to. What Peter teaches us in these verses can apply to the life of every Christ-follower at one time or another, but Peter’s primary focus is on the marriage relationship. If you haven’t already, open your Bibles to First Peter 3, and let’s read verses 1-12 together.
“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. And let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.”
“Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
“To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
“For, ‘LET HIM WHO MEANS TO LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS REFRAIN HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING GUILE. AND LET HIM TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; LET HIM SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE UPON THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.’"
Again, our text centers on the husband/wife relationship, which is the key relationship in the home. As we can see with even a cursory reading of the text, far more attention is given to the Christian woman who is married to an unbelieving husband than is given to the Christian husband. The reason for this is that there were many women in the early church who were married to non-Christian husbands. This particular group of women was in need of more spiritual guidance and loving support than any other in the body of Christ.
Now, I think it’s appropriate to clarify here that Peter is dealing with women who came to Christ after they were married. He is not talking about women who chose to marry outside of their faith under the auspices of leading their prospective husbands to Christ. In fact, I had an opportunity to minister to someone, just the other night, in my role as chaplain for the sheriff’s station, who has a child who is going to marry an unbeliever. The argument being made by the child is that if he gets married, he’ll be able to lead his fiancé to Christ. I just think that that is an incredible burden to place on a young relationship—especially since we, as individuals, can’t save anyone. Only God, through the power of the Holy Spirit can do that. But sometimes love can fog our glasses and we rationalize away the wisdom of God’s Word.
The prevailing wisdom of God’s Word, as illustrated in God’s teaching to Israel, is that believers should marry only those who share the same faith. We find this in the Old Testament Book of Ezra, chapters nine and ten.
As far as the New Testament, there are no Scriptures that specifically say, “Thou shalt not marry an unbeliever.” The closest we come, and what has been accepted by biblical scholars throughout the generations to be the verse of New Testament Scripture that speaks about this issue, is II Corinthians 6:14. “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
Don’t worry; if you have married an unbelieving spouse, you are not going to hear me say, “Do over. Pack your bags, leave home, and try again.” You won’t hear me say that. You are not a second-class believer. And if you are married to an unbelieving spouse, I want you to be encouraged by what God’s Word has to say today.
Paul also has some very encouraging words to the spouse of an unbeliever. He told the Corinthians, this time in his first letter to them, “And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband . . .” (I Corinthians 7:13-14a).
It was difficult to be a woman living in the Roman Empire at the time Peter wrote this letter. Men were divorcing their wives at an alarming rate. Men didn’t necessarily need a reason to divorce their wives. Much like today’s society, marriages in Peter’s time ended because of the selfish desires of one or both spouses, infidelity, or just plain boredom.
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands . . .
In the first six verses of chapter three we find four marks of a wife who is an effective witness in the home. They are submissiveness, speech, sincerity and service. Peter is continuing his line of thought on submission from Chapter two. First the instruction went to the readers (2:13), then to slaves (2:18), now to wives.
It’s important to understand that Peter is not calling wives to submit to their husbands as if they were slaves. The comparison is not between the roles of slaves and wives in their respective relationships. The similarity between wives and slaves is in their motivation for being submissive. Both slaves and wives are to submit because of their faith in Christ.
Some have taken the first phrase of verse one as a mandate for all women to be subservient to all men. Excuse me while I get a little technical. That’s bogus. Peter says that wives should submit to their own husbands. This verse cannot serve as a proof text for some warped, chauvinistic mandate. Peter’s use of the word “own” shows how exclusive the submission of the wife is to be. Peter is referring to the “private and unique relationship established by [the bonds of marriage]” (Hiebert, p. 196). What Peter is doing here is making subjection synonymous with oneness.
Peter is telling us that wives can be effective witnesses in their homes through their biblical submission to their husbands. So why should wives submit to their husbands?
. . . so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word . . .
In the situation Peter is describing, both husband and wife had heard the gospel message. The wife came to Christ but the husband did not. Whether the husband had attended Bible study, fellowship, or had been visited by one of the church leaders, he had persistently rejected the gospel. The husbands are described as “disobedient.” They were disobedient in the sense that they were obstinate, non-persuadable, and unwilling to listen to reason concerning the gospel message. This not only applies to the unbelieving husband. It can apply to the unbelieving wife as well.
. . . they may be won without a word . . .
Peter tells the wives that their husbands may be won to Christ without a word. This does not mean that they will come to Christ apart from God’s Word. “Word” is used here in the sense of the wives’ spoken pleas. Peter is talking to women who have begged and pleaded with their husbands to hear and respond to the gospel message. These women were frustrated by their husbands’ stubborn reluctance to accept what was true. Their husbands probably claimed to be men of reason yet discounted the facts of the gospel with bitter disdain.
What Peter is telling them here is that it will be the Word of God that will save the husbands not the words of the wives. Their speech, or in this case lack there of, will help the Christian wife be an effective witness in the home.
. . . by the behavior of their wives . . .
The behavior of the wives, in Peter’s mind, will probably be a more effective tool in leading unbelieving husbands to Christ than mere words. Peter is encouraging women to let their actions speak louder than their words. It’s quite possible that the husbands thought of their wives repeated words as little more than nagging. It could be that the unchurched men in Peter’s day would hear mention of the gospel and immediately tune it out, thinking, “Here we go again.”
. . . as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior . . .
In verse two, Peter gives Christian wives an alternative to repetitive speech. In so doing, Peter shows us how wives can be effective witnesses in their homes through their sincerity. The Greek word translated “observe” means to look very attentively. While the husbands were vehemently denying the truth of the gospel, they were still watching their wives very closely. They could have been watching closely because they were waiting for their wives to trip up so they could justify their own unbelief, or they could have been watching because the Holy Spirit had begun to work on their heart.
Peter encourages wives to show their husbands their chaste or purity and their respectful behavior. To exhibit chaste is to be free from any form of obscenity. But there is also a secondary meaning to the word, and that’s “free from barbarous words and phrases.”
There are times when we can become so frustrated with another person that we lash out with an explosion of words. They can pour out of us like flowing lava from an erupting volcano. This can certainly be true in a marriage relationship. It’s been said that for every harsh word we speak, it takes at least seven positive words to negate the one harsh word. I think the numbers are much higher than that. There are those of you here today who can remember a harsh word spoken by a parent or loved one 20, 30, 40 years ago.
Peter is furthering his thought about wives quietly witnessing to their husbands by encouraging wives to avoid using barbarous words and phrases toward their husbands, no matter how frustrating the circumstances or antagonistic their husbands’ response to the gospel may be. It will be difficult for a husband to see the sincerity of his wife’s faith, even if he instigates the arguments, if the wife responds with harsh words.
A wife’s behavior is to be respectful and sincere. At first glance, it may seem as though what Peter is saying is that wives are to be respectful toward their husbands. Although that is certainly true, just as true as a husband should respect his wife, that’s not what Peter is saying here. Peter is encouraging wives to allow their husbands to see their reverence for God.
Everything a wife does, whether as a testimony to her husband or for any other reason, should be born out of a reverential fear or awe of God. This respectful behavior is certainly not limited to the Christian wife. Everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ should live in such a way that their life reflects a healthy and reverent fear of the Lord, out of the sincerity of their heart.
Your adornment must not be merely external–braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses . . .
Apparently, there were women within the church who thought that they needed to be more visually appealing to their husbands in order to reach them for Jesus Christ.
There are certain denominations that interpret a verse like this to mean that women are not to braid their hair or wear jewelry or do anything else to make themselves look attractive. They take this verse to be prohibitions against women doing anything that may make them look attractive to other people. Peter is not calling women to that kind of extreme.
The Greek word translated in this verse as “adornment” is kosmos, from which we get the word cosmetic. It literally means to have an orderly arrangement “consist[ing] of material things or activities designed to draw attention” (Hiebert, p. 199). Peter is telling them that they should not rely on their outward attractiveness, as their method for winning their husbands to Christ. The method of evangelism they should use is found in verse four.
but (or instead) let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God . . . Peter is telling wives that they won’t find their true beauty by looking in the mirror. He both commands and exhorts wives to make their spiritual beauty be the thing that makes them truly attractive.
The “hidden person of the heart” can only apply to believers. It is Christ living in and flowing from the heart of a believer that makes up the real attractiveness of a person. As I was studying for this morning, I came across a poem that I think illustrates the point quite well. It’s called “In Preparation for The Day.”
My clothes are chosen carefully,
my hair is set in place.
My world is greeted daily
with a calculated face.
Preserving youth becomes my quest
when years begin to toll,
but have I spent an equal time
in strengthening my soul?
The call of common vanity
is seldom left ignored,
but could my spirit meet as well
a calling from the Lord?
Approval of the public eye
is sought in vast amount,
but will the Lord approve today
should he demand account?
In preparation for the day
has faith been made a part?
For man may judge appearances,
but God looks on my heart.
Decision, July/August 1992, p. 39
The outward markings of this inner quality–this inner attractiveness–are a gentle and quiet spirit. If you are a lady who is in the situation of being married to an unbelieving husband, as you prepare yourself for your day, are you hoping that by making yourself pleasing to your husbands’ eyes you will win his heart? Or do you begin your day by asking God to give you a gentle and quiet spirit so that the Lord may use your inner attractiveness to win your husbands’ heart for Christ?
In order to emphasize and qualify his point, Peter gives past examples of godly submission in verses five and six. In doing so he also gives the fourth mark of a wife who is an effective witness in the home–her service to her husband. Peter uses the word “obeyed” in the sense that this was Sarah’s habitual response to Abraham’s needs.
The NIV uses the word “master” in verse six, but the Greek word is kurios, which, in the present context, is better translated “lord.” “Master” gives the connotation of indentured servitude where the word “lord” brings out a willing respect from the wife to the husband. Sarah uses the term “as a wifely courtesy to her husband, and as recognition of his authority over her” (Wuest, vol. II, p. 82). She serves him willingly, in spite of his shortcomings.
Peter adds the additional encouragement that the wives of unbelieving husbands could follow Sarah’s example of doing good through the whole course of her life without any fear or reservation. Peter uses the word “fear” in the sense of a sudden fear or nervous excitement. The inward qualities of gentleness and quietness given to the Christian wife by the Holy Spirit, which is very precious to God, in no way translates to weakness or cowardice.
One of the most dangerous and volatile calls I ever answered as a deputy sheriff involved domestic disputes. There were few that were as frustrating as well. All too often the woman would be battered or threatened and deny that anything happened. It was not so much that the woman was in denial. Rather, it was her fear that kept her from coming forward. Ironically, nine times out of ten, it was the wife who placed the call to 911, only to tell us when we get to the house that nothing happened.
Very rarely would we go to such a call where it was the first incident of its kind in the home. By the time we were called to the house, the abuse had been going on for months, maybe even years. I met more than one Christian woman who found herself in such desperate circumstances. I’ve also been told by some of these women that the counsel they received was that they should stay in the house and try to work things out. People in the church told them that unless there was infidelity in the marriage, they couldn’t leave.
When I heard this, I would give the woman my own piece of advice. First, I told them to get out of the house. Then I told them to find another church. It’s in situations like the one I’m describing that convinces me that we can become so knowledgeable about our doctrine and theology that we lose all common sense.
If you are here today and living in a situation where you are being abused, you must leave immediately and find safe shelter. Should you try to reconcile with your husband. Certainly. But do so in such a way, under such conditions, that you will be safe. Peter is teaching that the Christian woman who is married to an unbelieving husband, or one who professes faith in Christ for that matter, should never fear his reaction to her Christian faith.
No matter how antagonistic her husband may be, or even if faced with threats of violence, nothing can ever scare her out of her Christian faith. Just as the women of old hoped in God, so to can the Christian woman trust in Him, regardless of her circumstances. Your submission to your husband, your purity and reverence for God, your gentle and quiet spirit, your fearless devotion to Christ will never be in vain. Your inner beauty, the source of which is your faith in Christ, will make you an effective witness in the home.
Now we move to the husband (read verse 7). It seems that Peter is shifting gears to an entirely different subject. But he is not. The way a husband treats his wife is every bit as important as the wife’s attitude toward her husband. Just as slaves were to serve their masters and wives are to submit to their husbands, husbands are to lead their wives with the motivation always being evidence of Christ’s lordship in their lives.
What Peter is about to say is directed to the Christian husband, not to the unbelieving husband of a Christian woman. The only exhortation in Scripture directed to unbelievers is to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not to say that unbelievers cannot be moved or even encouraged by the teachings in Scripture on godly living. God uses His Word to reach the hearts of unbelievers. However, exhortations on living the Christian life are directed to those who already know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Peter gives two exhortations to Christian husbands for being effective witnesses in their homes. The first is that Christian husbands are to live with their wives in an understanding way. Try as we might, we men are pretty ignorant to what makes our wives tick. Every time we think we have them figured out, something new comes along to stir the pot. It’s been said that men talk logically and women talk emotionally. In other words, you can’t simply listen to what your wife is saying, you also have to listen to what they mean. Let’s do a little exercise to illustrate my point.
An English professor wrote the words “Woman without her man is a savage” on the blackboard and directed his students to punctuate it correctly. If you have pen and paper, go ahead and write down those words.
The men wrote: “Woman, without her man, is a savage.”
The women wrote: “Woman! Without her, man is a savage.”
Bits & Pieces, March 2, 1995, p. 2
You see. Women think differently than men.
“Live with your wives in an understanding way” is literally translated from the Greek “dwelling with them according to knowledge.” The phrase in the Greek is as close as the ancient language can come to the English expression “making a home for” (Hiebert, p. 205).
That’s right guys. The responsibility for biblical homemaking belongs to the Christian husband, not the wife. Peter contrasts the believing husband who is considerate toward his wife with a knowledge built on “reason and common sense” (Hiebert, p. 205) with the unbelieving husband who persistently denied the truth of the gospel because of his prideful ignorance.
Part of the understanding to which Peter is calling Christian husbands comes from the common sense realization that women are weaker vessels than men. This is not to say that women are weaker spiritually, intellectually, or even emotionally. Simply put, women are weaker than men in a physical sense. Now, I’m sure we can think of individual situations where this may not be the case. Men sometimes don’t like to admit it, but let’s face it guys—there are women out there who are stronger, faster, and more agile than we are. But if we look at this idea of women being “weaker vessels” strictly on a gender level, we should be able to agree that one gender is physically stronger than the other.
Secondly, the Christian husband who wants to be an effective witness in the home will show his wife honor. As a Christian husband, the man should give his believing wife the respect she deserves because, like himself, she is every bit as much an heir of God’s eternal grace as he is. Even if his wife is not a believer, he should still treat her with the same level of honor. For, like himself, she is a vessel created by God.
Peter gives a very sobering reason why the Christian husband should be diligent to be an effective witness in the home, “so that your prayers will not be hindered.” Peter is not speaking of the husband’s prayers only. He is speaking of the corporate prayer between husband and wife, which should be a regular part of every day of the Christian marriage.
I want you to think about something. This is for both husbands and wives. When there is strife in your house, when you and your spouse are not getting along, when you are not honoring each other as joint-heirs in Christ, how easy is it for the two of you to pray together?
If, as a wife, you are not submitting to your husband’s God-given authority in the home, do you think it is easy for him to take you by the hand and lead you in prayer? If, as a husband, you are not showing your wife that special honor she deserves, or you are minimizing her significance instead of guarding her and lifting her up because she is a weaker vessel; how easy is it for your wife to take your hand and trust your leadership in prayer?
Friends, if you and your spouse are not praying together, if you have tried for years to establish consistency in your corporate times of prayer with little success, chances are that in one or more of the areas we have talked about, one or both of you are not being effective witnesses in your home.
We can allow our sin–our stubbornness and pride–to build walls between our spouses and us or we can become effective witnesses in our homes and turn the walls into bridges. I’m not big into poetry, but I’m going to share one more with you anyway.
A Wall Or Bridge
They say a wife and husband, bit by bit,
Can rear between themselves a mighty wall,
So thick they cannot speak with ease through it,
Nor can they see across it, it stands so tall.
Its nearness frightens them, but each alone
Is powerless to tear its bulk away;
and each dejected wishes he had known
[Through] such a wall, some magic thing to say.
So let us build with master art, my dear,
A bridge of love between your life and mine,
A bridge of tenderness, and very near,
A bridge of understanding, strong and fine.
Till we have formed so many lovely ties,
There never will be room for walls to rise.
Source unknown
Let’s spend the time we have remaining looking at some other qualities that will help all of us, whether married, living at home with parents, or even at work, become effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Peter gives us a series of adjectives in verse eight that are meant to define how believers should act toward one another. If we do these things, it will not only encourage other believers, but it may just cause the unbelievers in our lives to begin to ask questions about what is so different about us. When that happens, we will find ourselves with ample and appropriate opportunities to share the gospel.
Verse eight says, “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit.” First of all, we should be harmonious with each other. This does not mean that all of our opinions must be the same, but our attitudes toward each other should be, and they should always reflect the love of Christ that is in us.
Paul wrote these words to the Philippians. “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Phil 2:1-2). To live harmoniously is to exhibit in our relationships with other believers the oneness we share in Christ. This oneness “is an inner unity of sentiment and disposition, aim, or purpose, a unity of heart because of a similar inner experience” (Hiebert, p. 212). And that inner experience is the life transforming work of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We should be sympathetic toward each other. Whether our feelings are filled with joy or find us in the depths of despair, we should always be willing to not just share our feelings with others, but share in the feelings of others.
I read a story in Our Daily Bread, a great day by day devotional, which we have several of on the back table, which seemed to illustrate what sympathy between believers should look like.
“A man put up a sign in his yard that read: ‘Puppies for Sale.’ Among those who came to inquire was a young boy. ‘Please, Mister,’ he said, ‘I’d like to buy one of your puppies if they don’t cost too much.’ ‘Well, son, they’re $25.’ The boy looked crushed. ‘I’ve only got two dollars and five cents. Could I see them anyway?’ ‘Of course. Maybe we can work something out,’ said the man. The lad’s eyes danced at the sight of those five little balls of fur. ‘I heard that one has a bad leg,’ he said. ‘Yes, I’m afraid she’ll be crippled for life.’ ‘Well, that’s the puppy I want. Could I pay for her a little at a time?’ The man responded, ‘But she’ll always have a limp.’ Smiling bravely, the boy pulled up one pant leg, revealing a brace. ‘I don’t walk good either.’ Then, looking at the puppy sympathetically, he continued, ‘I guess she’ll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. It’s not so easy being crippled.’ ‘Here, take her,’ said the man. ‘I know you’ll give her a good home. And just forget the money.’”
As fellow believers in Christ, we should love each other as if we were physically brothers and sisters. Our commonality in the new birth in Christ, the fact that we are all born again by one Father, one Spirit, one Lord and Savior, one God, we should consider each other part of the same family.
We should be kindhearted toward each other. Our affection for each other should be born out of a tender heart. Kindheartedness is compassion. We’re given a good picture of this in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). The greatest form of compassion is forgiveness. After all, isn’t that exactly what God has provided for us through His grace. We do not earn forgiveness for our sins. We cannot work them off through penance. The only reason we receive forgiveness for our sins is because God chooses to be merciful and forgive us our sins.
In like manner, we should forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ when they fall short of God’s glory, just as we ourselves do every day. We should extend compassion to them when they repent of their sins, whether they are against us or someone else. Through that compassion, through that kindheartedness, our forgiveness should carry with it the genuine, biblical desire to restore our brothers or sisters in Christ to fellowship without making them where a placard around their neck that says, “My brothers and sisters forgive me as long as I . . .” You can fill in the blank.
We should be humble in spirit. Our attitude should be such that we willingly submit to the authority over us, whether at home, at work, or at church. We should rejoice in the success of other brothers and sisters and be willing to serve them in any way we can to help them succeed all the more. If we are truly humble in spirit, our first inclination will be to brag about others instead of bragging about ourselves.
We should bless others with our words, even in the midst of strife. Bless those who curse you by interceding for them before your heavenly Father, and by speaking well of them to others whenever the opportunity arises.
The reason for having the character traits Peter has listed is so that you may inherit a very special blessing from the Lord. Peter quotes Psalm 34 in verses 10-12. We find the promised blessing in the first half of verse 10 where Peter writes, “For, ‘the one who desires life, to love and see good days.’” Peter is talking about life here on earth, not eternal life. The blessing he is speaking of is the opportunity to live your life in loving relationships and to experience very good days.
Sometimes, as believers, especially when life is not a bed of roses, we can focus so much on the eternal aspects of the Christian life that we forget that God has blessings for us today, in this world. And, although good works are not prerequisites to obtaining the promise of eternal life, in order to experience “good days” in this present life, it does at times take hard work. It does require us, from time to time, to do something in order to experience the blessing.
Peter gives us three imperatives for attaining the blessings God has for us in this life. The first is that we must stop tearing into each other with our words. Secondly, we must turn away from evil. The Greek word for “turning away” literally means “to lean over” or “swerve to get out of the way.” Think about how you reacted the last time some kid suddenly stepped into the street in front of your car; or how you reacted the last time a car was coming at you while occupying the same lane as you.
Did you whistle a happy tune and slowly turn your wheel to the right or the left? Or did you yank the wheel, leaning with your body one way or the other, as if your body weight was going to help move the car, in order to get out of the way? That’s the kind of urgency and intensity Peter commands us to have when avoiding evil.
Finally, we must pursue peace. The Greek here literally means to hunt or chase. This makes sense because peace is sometimes hard to find. Peter is calling us to be aggressive peacemakers. Notice that Peter did not attach any conditions to this command.
We are to aggressively hunt for peace with everyone regardless of the circumstances. Peter knew this would not always be easy. That’s why he used a word like “pursue” or “hunt” instead of “look.” Be that as it may, in order to experience the love and good days we so eagerly desire, it is the responsibility of each of us to hunt for every opportunity to be at peace with our friends, families, co-workers, and spouses.
Be encouraged. If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, His eyes will always be upon you. His ears will always be attentive to your prayers. He will never leave you or forsake you. I want us to take a few moments being very quiet before the Lord and asking His Holy Spirit to search our hearts. Are we truly being effective witnesses in our homes?
Are you, as a Christian wife, submitting to your husband’s authority and allowing him to see Christ in your quiet and gentle spirit, in your purity and your reverence for God? Are you, as a Christian husband, leading your home by bending over backwards to understand your wife and honor her, as you should? Do our lives as believers reflect the character traits Peter gives us in this passage of Scripture?
If you have fallen short of God’s glory in any of these areas, confess it to Him. We’re going to spend a few moments in silent prayer so you can do just that. You may be sitting next to someone this morning–a husband, wife, or loved one–who needs to hear you say, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” Let this morning be the turning point in your relationship. Become the witness in your home God has called you to be.
Let’s pray.
