the father reckons. They are not likely to respect one who refuses his duty. He should urge his children to obey all proper authority, whether human or divine. But they will not recognize other authority when he has wrongly refused to exert his. What has seemed an easy solu tion has led to juvenile delinquency with all its pain and trouble. Also, by failing in his leadership at home, he has failed to fit himself for the privilege of leadership at church. For, as Paul says, the suitable person to have church authority is “ one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all grav ity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (I Tim. 3:4 & 5). As a husband’s role is to lead, has the wife only to sit back and take no responsibility or active inter est in the well-being of the family? No. She can use her influence to maintain God’s plan for the Christian home. Rather than discourage her husband’s authority, she should urge him to take his responsibility ade quately and give a lead in the home. She will back up this urge by accepting his leadership when he exerts it. Apart from the abuse of leadership when a husband expects something contrary to God's ex pressed will, she does well to accept his authority in domestic matters. If the wife is a stronger personality than the husband, she is tempted to assume leadership. Yet this take-over would not bring benefit to her or to her family. It tends to destroy her God-given gift of being feminine, a quality she enhanced by the way she dressed on her wedding day. That gift is needed in the home as much as man’s leadership. She ex presses that femininity best by a desire for her hus band’s leadership. When a wife pushes her husband from leadership, the children are likely to follow, pushing over her authority and usurping it themselves. The children are then deprived of a vital aspect of their training. Should the wife try to sabotage her husband’s authority, unexpected losses could proclaim her folly. A wife took the lead in Eden. The Bible never lets us forget the disastrous results (I Tim. 2:11-14). Abraham would have prevented the prolonged blood- shedding between Arab and Jew if he had not let his wife be leader (Gen. 16:2). Samuel Liebowitz, the noted criminal judge, has commented on the result of a woman's taking over the role of leadership from her husband. He says: “ If mothers would understand that much of their im portance lies in building up the father image for the child, they would achieve the deep satisfaction of children who turn out well.” In turn, he suggests this would prevent a fearful mother’s having to stand in a juvenile court and ask the question he has heard so often: "What did I do that was wrong, Judge, what did I do that was wrong?" He concludes with this 14
excellent advice: “ Put father back at the head of the family.” Before marriage, a girl needs to consider care fully a man’s leadership. A minister asked a girl about to marry: “ Are you going to have the word ‘obey’ in your marriage ceremony?” She replied: "O f course I am." He asked her why, expecting her to say it was scriptural. She said: “ If I did not have the word ‘obey’ in the wedding ceremony, I would be placing myself on public record as marrying a man I could not re spect, whom I could not obey, and who could not be as the Lord Jesus Christ.” Does this mean that the wife's position is second- class? No. Not being the leader does not deprive her of a vital role in the home. Behind every great man has stood an equally great woman, even though the world knows little of her. She has allowed her hus band the limelight while she has strengthened his purpose and his willingness to accept responsibility. Sir Winston Churchill, whose leadership brought much benefit to mankind, ended the section of his autobiography on his early life with these words: “ I married and lived happily ever afterwards." He re ceived tremendous help from Lady Churchill. He ex plained his success as he said: “ It would not have been possible for any man in public life to get through what I have gone through without the devoted assis tance of what we in England call one’s better half.” Isabella Taves says of them: “ He has been her whole life as well as her career.” When Edward VIII announced his abdication of the throne of England, he explained why his brother would make a better king than he. While Edward was a bachelor, his brother had a happy home with a wife who always supported her husband. The husband was King of England during the difficult years of war. He and his wife both testified to their Christian faith. The husband’s words and actions in his house hold are always to be bathed in love, a quality that Christ shows superbly for His church. Yet even here love does not mean sentimentality. Rather he is to seek the well-being of his wife and each of his chil dren as he uses every means and all his equipment for their benefit. Husband's and wife's mutual love, with joy and delight in each other, brings happy companionship. Marriage is a partnership. Rarely will a deciding voice be needed. Then, the husband should have it. Husbands must bear the main part of the load of the leadership-responsibility in the home. They can do it successfully as they maintain daily fellowship with the Lord. As they do it adequately, they will have enriched their homes and they will be a powerful influence for good. They will be doing a vital job for Christianity and for the nation. They can expect rich dividends. God wants our homes to be happy and success ful. They will be when we carry out the plan He has provided. ■ THE KING'S BUSINESS
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