I heard a radio program (I think Focus on the Family) the other day about what makes us as wives and our husbands feel valuable. I will start with the woman’s topic first because I want to focus more on the husbands. The place that most women feel valued is in feeling secure, secure that our ideas are good, that we are appreciated by those who love and need us, secure in that they also unconditionally love us. I would agree with all of that.
Men gain their sense of value from successes, success in marriage, success in parenting, success in their work, etc… .
That same day, so funny how God works, my husband was asked to go out to lunch with some of the upper management in his company. He usually comes home for lunch to see us but he thought he would go with these guys that day. These are the guys who have “made it” (successful) in the company. But they are also the guys that work 12-14 hour days, travel a lot and do business lunches daily.
The talk swirling around the table was of work and business, but one guy in particular talked about going on vacation with his family that he rarely sees. He wanted to trick them by shaving off a long time beard, to see if they would recognize him. They didn’t at first apparently, which made one of the children angry. His response to that was, well at least I know they love my credit card.
This man is successful in business, to his standards, but not so successful with his family.
My husband is a very successful man. Yes, he does his job well, but he is also a great dad that teaches his children about the Lord and who loves their mother very much and makes her feel secure. My husband has not always known how to be successful but the Lord had plans for him and for our family.
Make sure that your husband knows that he is a successful man in your eyes and your kids, and give him the support to become that incredibly successful man in the Lord.
This dad did something to deserve that kiss. Better than any award the world can give.
Jeannie
