As a pastor’s wife you sacrifice your husband. You give him up for middle of the night hospital visits and counseling sessions that run into dinner. You do without his helping hand on a Sunday morning or his weekend work around the house.
You also sacrifice for your husband. You put in extra hours with the kids, manage the cooking the cleaning the shopping and the carpool, and offer hospitality to boot. You bring an encouraging word after a discouraging sermon and, when necessary, the faithful wounds of a friend. And you labor beside your husband in the church—setting an example, and leading meetings for women. You offer counsel, care, encouragement, prayer, and meals.
I’m sure you don’t think of your life in terms of sacrifice. “I am an unworthy servant” you would say, “and have only done what was my duty” (Luke 17:10).
But your “ordinary” sacrifice for your husband is extraordinary. Fellow pastor’s wife Jani Ortland’s explains:
“You are one of the main vehicles God uses to show your husband his favor. Proverbs 18:22 says, ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.’ It’s as if God was thinking, ‘How can I help this man as I call him to serve Me? I know. I’ll make ____________, introduce them, and ignite their hearts to yearn to be one. Then I’ll use her as my main channel to show him my favor.”
You are a primary means, a direct channel, of God’s favor to your husband. Your sacrifice on his behalf is more than just “what you do.” It is God-ordained, Christ-empowered, Holy Spirit inspired means of favor on your husband. The Triune God gave your husband as a gift to the church. And He gave you as a gift to your husband.
So thank you ladies, for your sacrifice of and for your husbands. Thank you for being a means of grace to them, and by extension to the church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing.” I’m sure your husband would agree.
