JANUARY 22, 1 Peter 3:1-6 

God’s formula for a happy family is a good relationship between husband and wife. Many problems at home start when the husband and wife cannot get along with each other. In today’s passage, Peter gave the example of Sarah who was a godly wife and mother.

The Bible is not teaching that wives of today address their husbands the way Sarah did, calling her husband “lord”. However, the wife is to submit to the husband, as unto God, for God has placed the man as the head of the house. So, as long as what the husband prefers is not against the laws of God, the wife should follow.

This concept of a woman submitting herself to her husband is not what the world believes in. Women of the world are fighting for liberation.

As Christians, we are to be different. In the eyes of God, the beauty of the wife is not in the externals, but in the internal, the meek and quiet spirit, as verse 4 reminds us.

A Christian girl, whether married or not, should be more concerned about her spiritual condition rather than her outward appearance. She must not be vain and spend too much time on her hair, clothing and accessories. It is wise therefore to avoid unduly expensive clothing. The finest adornment of Christian girls and ladies is a meek and quiet spirit, a gentle disposition and a mild and modest temperament.

Finally, happiness in the family is not complete with just submission of the wife to the husband; it requires the husband to love and honour the wife in the way God wants. How should that be done? We shall examine it tomorrow

Thought: A godly wife loves the Lord and submits to her husband.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for my mother that she will learn to grow in the type of beauty You want to see: meekness and quietness of spirit. And I also pray for my parents, that they will grow closer to each other, and that my mother will learn to submit more to my father, unless his wishes are against Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.