by Greg Singerle

Created on: September 18, 2009

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Regarding your marriage, are these the words you will hear from Jesus Christ? Warning: this is not an article about how to have a happy marriage or any man-centered outcome. Nor will it necessarily make you feel good about yourself. To understand marriage we must first understand this: everything God created - whether that be a living thing or an institution - was for His Glory, marriage most definitely included.

In the parable of the talents, an owner entrusts his property to three servants. To each of the servants he gives a different measure of his property. The two servants to whom the larger shares were given invested them and doubled the value. The third servant did nothing to increase the value of the property. The owner commended the two who used their skills to increase the property value and condemned the one who did not. Throughout time, the debate has centered on what the property or talent represents? Many say it represents the Word of God or faith, and indeed they are right. But more broadly, it is something owned by God, has value, has the ability to increase in value, and ultimately is given back to God at which time He will determine whether or not you have been a faithful steward with His treasure. Men, this "talent" is your wife!

Men, you have jobs, brothers and sisters in Christ, ministries, children, etc., but be sure of one thing: When God judges you and you stand before Him, I believe His first question will be for you to give an account regarding what you have done to increase the value of His precious child. Your wife is a child of God of her own accord, and He has entrusted her to you and blessed you with abilities and resources first and foremost for the purpose of increasing her preciousness (a.k.a. Christ-likeness). You can be a great man of God, do many mighty works, give tirelessly to ministry, and evangelize every person you meet, but if you have done so at the expense of increasing the value of your wife, you have ignored the primary ministry to which you have been called and you will give an account for such a grievous sin.

Most would say our role as a husband is to love our wives. That's easy enough...We'll define what love is, how much is needed, when it is needed and then finally judge whether or not we've done well. Heck, why don't we just declare ourselves god while we're at it? That kind of love is easy. But wait, we need to keep reading...love my wife, as Christ loved the church

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