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by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Genesis 1:26
Let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth.

The past three decades of new ideologies about women's rights have left Christian women swimming in a wake of confusion. Consequently, many Christian wives have lost sight of their husbands' needs and have focused intently on their own. Even though more than 50 percent of you reading this book work outside the home, I'd like to explain briefly the importance of work in your husbands' lives.

Man was given the responsibility by God to toil, sweat and gain from the labor of his hands. A man's work is part of the ruling and managing purpose that God spoke of in Genesis 1:26 (above). Your husband needs work in order to realize the satisfaction inherent in executing God's stated purpose for his life. His work gives him a sense of significance and importance in the world as he sees his efforts affecting life for good in the present and the future.

But this drive for significance sometimes pushes a man to extremes. In his effort to gain a sense of well-being and significance, he often becomes enslaved to his job. Attempting to gain importance through wealth or position, he makes his work his god. For hundreds of years men have confused their net worth with their self-worth.

On the other hand, a man who is out of work lacks true self-respect. In this age of workaholism, losing a job is a traumatic blow to a man's esteem. It strikes at the core of his dignity. A man who doesn't work can't enjoy the satisfaction of a solid day's productivity.

Your husband needs you to help him keep these two extremes in balance. He needs you to praise him for his work, but not to push him to gain too much too quickly. When a man loses or quits his job, his self-esteem can sink. During these times, he needs you to stand beside him and encourage his efforts at finding employment. Men need to work.

Prayer:

That you can help your husband live by his priorities, balancing his need for work with his need to focus on his family.

Discuss: How can you help your husband keep a balanced perspective about work? What are your husband's needs right now when it comes to work?

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