Suggestions for a Loving Marriage

Valentine's Day.  I have to admit that while part of me wants to rebel against the mushiness of it all, the other part of me has always liked the mushiness of it all.  I just realized that my wife and I are now celebrating our 30th Valentine's Day (including the "dating" days).  I guess we must be doing something right.

So, I thought maybe I should offer advice to the rest of you.  But, I don't think I really have any that Ephesians 5:22ff doesn't cover.  So instead I'll just reprint these old "commandments" for husbands and wives.  They've been around for years, and I can't even find the original source, so if you know it let me know.  Enjoy.

Ten Commandments for Husbands

1. Thou shalt not take thy wife for granted, but will honour and respect her as thy equal. (1 Pet 3:7)

2. Thy highest allegiance, except God, shall be to thy wife, not thy relatives or friends. (Gen 2:24)

3. Thou shalt frequently tell thy wife how important & valuable she is to thee. (Phil 2:3; Prov 31:10-11)

4. Thou shalt hold thy wife's love by the same means that thou won it. (Sos 5:10-16)

5. Thou shalt actively establish family discipline with thy wife's help. (Eph 6:4)

6. Remember to do all the little things for thy wife when you say you will. (Mt 5:37)

7. Keep thine eyes on thy own wife, not thy neighbors. (Prov 5:15-20; Job 31:1; Jer 5:8)

8. Thou shalt make every effort to see things from thy wife's point of view. (Gen 21:12)

9. Thou shalt not fail to kiss thy wife every morning. (Sos 8:1)

10. Thou shalt not be stingy with thy wife when it comes to money. (Esther 5:3)

 

Ten Commandments for Wives

1. Expect not thy husband to give thee as many luxuries as thy father hath given thee after many years of hard labor. (Phil 4:11; Amos 4:1)

2. Thou shalt work hard to build thy house with the husband that you have, not fantasizing about "the one that could have been". (Prov 14:1)

3. Thou shalt not nag...hit him with thine frying pan, it is kindlier. (Prov 27:15; 21:19)

4. Thou shalt coddle thy husband and be a warm wife. (1 Cor 7:3-5)

5. Remember that the frank approval of thy husband is more to thee than the side glances of many strangers. (Ezek 16:32; 2 Pet 2:14)

6. Thou shalt not yell at thy husband but will be a gentle and quiet spirit. (1 Pet 3:1-4)

7. Permit no one to assure thee that thou art having a hard time of it. (1 Pet 5:9)

8. Thou shall not fail to dress up for thy husband with an eye to please him, as thou didst before marriage. (SoS 4:9-11)

9. Thou shalt submit to thy husband from thy heart and allow him to be head of the household. (Col 3:18; 1 Pet 3:6; Eph 5:33)

10. Thou shalt assure thy husband and others that he is the greatest man alive. (Phil 2:3; SoS 5:9-16)

Happy Valentine's Day