Encomium
Quoting from the Holy Bible, Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for a man to be alone” and backing it up with Proverbs 18: 22, “He who finds a wife, findeth a good thing”, every lady looks forward to becoming a wife. However, a ‘good wife’ must possess some characters to prove how good she is in line with the Bible and to the delight of her husband.
Every man expects his wife to be committed, devoted and submissive to him, to honour and prove their marriage vows, she must seeks to fulfill her roles as a wife, to build her home based on a deeper love and to remain faithful to her husband.
The bible, through these verses, reveals some of qualities that exemplify a good wife:
CONFIDENCE: According to Proverbs 1: 10-12, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
These verses identify confidence as a noble character in a wife, a husband who has confidence in his wife can entrust her with everything he has without thinking twice or brooding an inch of fear. A good wife must further prove her best wishes for her husband by putting complete confidence in him without resentments.
SPEAK CAREFULLY, ACT FAITHFULLY: The Bible in 1 Timothy 3:11 instructs, “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”
A woman who speaks wrongly or carelessly about her husband in public has fallen short of the biblical standard of a good wife; slander against one’s husband is a public pronouncement that one’s partner is doubted or not up to standards set and the bible strongly discourages such.
PROPER ROLE MODELS FOR YOUNG ONES: In Titus 2: 4-5, “Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
One of the most sought-for attributes in a lady that would make a good wife is the ability to pass knowledge, impact values and be living examples to others around them, pointing them to also believe in God.
Some young wives have been able to serve their husbands faithfully for many years following the examples laid down by older virtuous women.
RESPECT: Ephesians 5:33 writes, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Showing respect to one’s husband and his leadership over the family is biblical and should be seen in a good wife, contrary to what the society preaches about being independent and having a say. A good wife trusts her husband to lead the family closer to the Lord.
LOVE THAT STANDS FOR EACH OTHER: 1 Peter 4-8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
No relationship is perfect, and same applies even for the best marriages. The bible advices that true love between couples should seek to stand for each other and cover family’s imperfections from the public.
PATIENCE: Inferring from Ephesians 4: 2-3 which reads, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
No matter how rough things get in a marriage or how used couples get used to each other, patience is as important as commitment, humility and other virtues if a woman would remain a good wife in the home .
– ‘Seyifunmi Adebote for encomium.ng
