Husbands…
Husbands, God takes how you treat your wife as a critically important matter. It’s like God takes it personal. According to the apostle Peter, how a husband treats his wife determines how God treats his prayers. Here is exactly what Peter said,
If you are the kind of husband that belittles and talks down to your wife, you should know that God takes notice. If you talk to your wife like she is your servant and you try to dominate her life, God takes notice. If you cuss your wife or treat her like she is an ignorant child, God takes notice. If you beat your wife or threaten your wife in any way, God takes notice. No wife should have to walk around on eggshells because she is afraid to say or do the wrong thing because of a husband’s reactions. Both your actions and attitude toward your wife are always being examined by God.
The word “hinder” means to cut off or to cut down and it carries the idea that if a husband mistreats or is constantly cutting down his wife, then God is going to cut down the husband’s prayers and petitions to God. God deeply cares about the wife who is the weaker vessel, which speaks of the woman’s relative physical weakness in comparison to men. Men are not always stronger spiritually but they most often are physically. Women are also more emotional than men. So husbands live with your wife giving her much grace, give her honor, and treat her with a tenderness that gives evidence in your own prayer life. Husband, love your wife as Christ loved the church and sacrificed himself for it. If you want your prayers to get through to God and for God to hear and graciously respond, think about how you treat your wife.
