The Power of A Wife

1 Kings 11:1–3 (HCSB)

King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women from the nations that the LORD had told the Israelites about, "Do not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn you away ‹from Me› to their gods." Solomon was deeply attached to these women and loved ‹them›. He had 700 wives who were princesses and 300 concubines, and they turned his heart away ‹from the LORD›.

A lot of good men, strong and capable men, have become useless because they had a weakness for the opposite sex. Many a man, even a strong man, has had his heart turned away from God because of a woman. I don’t mean this to be a slam on women… and I hope my lady readers won’t take it that way. Women have great power over men. A woman can use this power to get what she wants. This is no secret. I’m not saying anything that every woman does not already know. Blessed is that man who has a woman who encourages him in his walk with God. She will be a blessing to him all the days of his life. She will make him stronger and better.

I just returned from a mission trip to Peru. While I was there my wife wrote a card for me every day. I carried those cards with me each day. Each card was a gem of wisdom for me. She gave me Scripture and she gave me encouragement. She made me a better leader. I do not know how much of a man of God I am, but what I am I owe in large degree to the support, encouragement, and admonishment of my wife. She uses her power to help me, and I recognize that I am a blessed man.

Ladies, I guess what I want to say is, use your power to build up your man and make him a man after God’s own heart. Men, if you are single, search for such a woman. Married men, bless your wife if she is such a woman. If she is not, have a talk with her. She will respond to your words if they are presented lovingly. You cannot succeed as a godly man without the support and encouragement of a godly wife.