APPRECIATE YOUR OWN SPOUSE

A dear sister mentioned that she noticed a man in church had developed a habit of walking up to her after service to commend her appearance.  When she noticed that it had become a pattern, she came up with a plan.

The next time he showed up, rather than acknowledge his greetings, she walked him to his own wife and said to him, “Tell your wife what you told me”. The man froze and got the memo immediately. 

You cannot ignore your own spouse while you keep showering encomiums on another person’s spouse. The root of an affair can always be traced to flattery and flirting.  The strange woman (or man) as the case may be, has mastered the use of words to achieve their desired end.

Let’s see scriptural examples:

It is clear that we need protection from flattering tongues. There are people who have mastered the art of flattery that we must be careful of.

Proverbs 6:24 CEV

They will protect you from the flattering words of someone else’s wife.

There is a time when praising another person’s spouse can become nothing but a trap- a devilish one.

Proverbs 7:21 NLT

So, she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery.

Why are you regularly praising her appearance? Why are you regularly commending his looks? She now thinks of your commendation while dressing up. You are on a dangerous slope.

Listen, when last did you water your own spouse with praises and gratitude? You keep finding blame when it comes to your spouse, but you grin from teeth to teeth when you see another person’s well-watered and cultivated garden. You ignore your own garden. You complain about your own garden. You did nothing about your own garden. You are a lazy thief. Wake up. Get to work on your garden. Water your spouse with praise for the little he or she does. It looks better on the other side because someone is labouring there.

We celebrate the Proverbs 31 woman, but it was the praise of her husband that nourished her:

Proverbs 31:28-29 CEV

[28] Her children praise her, and with great pride, her husband says, [29] “There are many good women, but you are the best!”

When last did you tell your spouse that they are the best? When last did you say that?

Proverbs 31:31 CEV

[31] Show her respect— praise her in public for what she has done.

Do you deal with your spouse respectfully? When last did you praise your spouse for what he or she has done?

Start today.

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa