Be Her Man, Part 3

Protector. Besides being the leader and the teacher for our wives, men are designed to be their protectors. This brings us back to 1 Peter 3:7, which says, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers".

Women were made to be our helpers, our partners - and to be protected by us. There are many stories of both bravery and cowardice associated with the sinking of the SS Titanic. One of the important aspects of that entire ordeal was the fact that many of the men stood aside and made sure that their women and children were put into lifeboats, knowing that they (the men) were probably going to the briny deep. The British seafaring tradition of women and children first was upheld that day. One of the men who made sure of the safety of his family was a member of the Astor family; a wealthy man with much for which to live. But he did the right thing. Those were men. They protected their women and children. It is our job to protect them. How? Here's just a bulleted list of ways in which we can stand up and be a protector for our wives. You can fill in the details of each item - and probably add a few of your own.

• Stand between them and the children
• Stand between them and the school authorities/municipal authorities
• Stand between them and society and the culture
• Protect them from smut, crime
• Protect them from poverty (provide for them)
• Protect them from their own sinful desires (w/o stain, Eph. 5:25-27)
• Take their side as much as possible in public
• Never, never insult them
• Trust them.

As I close this three-part essay on being Her man, here's an image from God's Word for you:

Each man will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. (Isaiah 32:2 (NIV)).