Esther 1:20
“When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.”
This verse out of context sounds good. Here’s what Ephesians 5:33 says, “Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” God made man and woman uniquely. Each has their primary needs. The man needs respect while the woman needs love. They have other needs, but these are primary.
I did marriage counseling regularly for about ten years. Sharing this with couples was very helpful. Behavior can be very subtle. Passive aggressive behavior can be easily denied. Will the couple be honest? Some are and some aren’t.
Will the couple seek to improve their marriage? The couple doing each of these mandates is enough. The wife seeks love and the husband wants respect. God in His wisdom makes this clear.
The problem with today’s verse is that the king asked his wife to parade her beauty before his drunken party guests. This is not ok. She’s fortunate the king didn’t put her to death. I Corinthians 13:1 says, “If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” It shares other things love is not. There are boundaries that couples must follow. The king transgressed his and he lost his wife.
God’s way is the best. If followed one will be happy beyond measure. He will fill us enough. Some would be wealthy, others not. To each it would be enough. To submit one’s self to God means we seek His kingdom. He will guide and use us to share His love and His ways. I Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Lord, thank You for Your wisdom and Your ways. It’s so good and You bless us so. Help us to follow You.