acteristic of Christian women. They appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears their husbands have put into each dollar brought home. They shop carefully. They look for bargains. They often make efforts to add to the family income. They are concerned about the future. They encourage their husbands in their job promotions. They protect the budget and rejoice in the savings account. They tend to make sure that offerings for God and His work are not forgotten. Sixthly, she is an academic saviour. She chal lenges her husband to good reading and continual study. She knows that if he is to be an alert Christian with a strong testimony, he must be a thorough stu dent of the Word and of the world. He must be aware of the times and seasons in which he lives. She sac- rificially foregoes times of fellowship with him for the sake of his academic advance. Lastly, she is a spiritual saviour. This is the realm of her greatest contribution. Her personal love for and devotion to God are an inspiration to him. God is continually giving ear to her supplications in behalf of her husband. Her insistence on faithful church at tendance is a gentle rebuke to him. The discipline of her private devotions and her insistence on a faith ful family altar encourage him. Her consistent efforts to raise her children for God amazes him. Her spir itual example helps him to be his best for God. In the light of this, it is little wonder that the Scriptures instruct the Christian husband to love his wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. Obviously, there is no one else on earth so able to make his life meaningful. He does well, there fore, to be mindful of her great contribution to him. He should often express his appreciation to her as his co-worker. He should not underestimate her gifts and abilities. He should not hesitate to place her in the limelight when occasion arises. He should en courage her in her efforts to improve herself. He should be faithful to her, provide for her, and love her “ till death do us part."
proven to be a balance wheel, a place of refuge, a strong tower, an inspiration, and a source of spirit ual strength to the man with whom she is mated. A good wife is a physical saviour to her husband. She is far more solicitous of his physical well-being than the best-paid servant could ever be. She works long hours to prepare him meals and make his house attractive and comfortable. She is concerned about how hard he works and how much sleep he gets. When he is sick, she is more compassionate than a nurse. She is tender, thoughtful and loving. In the second place, she is a moral saviour. To put it bluntly, she satisfies his sexual appetites. Those appetites are real and when not satisfied, temptations to immorality are intensified. As an affectionate wife, she helps to solve this moral problem through God- ordained expressions of love. Her intimate affection provides for him a deep satisfaction which rides vic toriously over the strength of lust. “ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her” (Prov. 31:11). Thirdly, she is a social saviour. The niceties of human society most often reveal the feminine touch. Those societies in which women are downtrodden lack much of that which makes Christian society enjoyable. When the daughters of Eve become in sensible to the good graces of Christian culture, all of society is degraded. Fourthly, she is an emotional saviour. Man's need for sharing his problems and privileges, joys and sorrows, is ageless and universal. In fact, this is exactly what the creation story is all about. Until Eve was created, Adam had no one with whom he could really identify — no one with whom to share himself. Fortunate is the man whose wife is always ready to mop up the spilled milk of disappointment and provide for him a listening ear into which he can pour his woes. With her, he divides his problems and multiplies his joys. She is his psychological haven. Fifthly, she is an economic saviour. Of course some wives are spend-thrifts. But this is not char
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MAY, 1970
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