Men who understand their responsibility and role before the Lord in their marriage and see their wives as their helpers and partners made equal in God’s eyes will serve their wives out of love and please God.
On the other hand, The machismo mindset kills good relationships.
Some men in our society have a certain mindset that they inherit from their household and bring into their marriage. The philosophy is that women who stay home, take care of the kids, keep the house clean, and cook are not working.
They get to stay home doing nothing. Meanwhile, the men work hard to make money to put food on the table. Somehow this makes the man entitled to boss his wife around and to have a designated time to “rest” from his hard work.
However, staying at home, caring for the kids, cooking, and cleaning the house is a job. And it is a job with 24 hours demand. The woman is either actively working or can be called in at any given moment during the night, even multiple times, with demands from little ones.
Men who get home from work and think they must rest first and read the newspaper before dealing with the kids forget that the wife also was busy the entire day. She might also need a break.
As part of a research, I interviewed a man who came, and the house was not clean, and he complained to his wife. She was so upset with him because of his lack of understanding. She just needed him to understand how demanding her life was with two kids under three. However, he could only see the toys everywhere. With guidance and patience, this man learned to see his wife for who she is and what she brings to the table. When he tried to do her job for one day all by himself to see and understand, he asked to be allowed back to the office the next day! However, he was able to let God change his heart and help his wife more without grumbling.
Romans 12: 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God is the potter, and men are the clay; the clay can’t tell the potter what to do. In the same way, men have to allow God to change and transform us.
Men should allow God to change the mentality that the household is only for women and help whenever is needed in the marriage. Allow God to give men a new way of thinking.
