1 Peter 3:7, Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Today’s Word is for husbands. Husbands, do you love, respect, and honour your wife? Or are you one of those men who complains about his wife to his friends every chance he gets? Such men take for granted the love his wife has for him. Men, do you know how tremendous a blessing it is to have a woman who loves you with her whole being and who puts up with your asinine manly thinking and behaviour? For many years, I have struggled with finding a godly woman who would love me in such a way. Finally, with God’s blessing, I have found her; rather, she found me. Throughout those years of tormented loneliness, I made a vow not to complain about my future wife to others.
Some of you men reading this may say, “But I don’t have a wife. I have a girlfriend.” Or, “I have a fiancé. She’s not technically my wife yet.” So what? She is still a woman deserving of your respect and honour. She is a human being created in God’s image. Also, hopefully, she is a child of God. If you’re looking for technicalities as an excuse to disrespect and dishonour the women in your life, you are not deserving of a wife.
Peter exhorts his hearers to honour their wives “so that your prayers may not be hindered.” Men, we should take these words seriously. Peter, with apostolic instruction, says that if we do not honour our wives, our prayers will not be heard. That’s how seriously God takes our treatment of women. God loves women so much that if we men begin mistreating them, He will not listen to our prayers. This is convicting. This Word inspires the fear of God in me.
If you have disrespected and dishonoured your wife, repent and ask for her forgiveness. If you have a problem with your wife, communicate and talk to your wife about it (without blaming, prepared to listen); don’t crack open a cold one with the boys and complain to them about her. You cannot expect the problem to get solved if all you do is complain about her and not communicate with her about whatever this problem is, if it even is a real problem to begin with. Husbands, respect and honour your wives, lest God turn His face from you and ignores your prayers.
The Lutheran Column 