“Let me say that no wife can over-estimate the influence she wields over her husband; or the measure in which his character, his career, and his very destiny are laid in her hands for shaping. The sway which she holds over him is the sway of love, but it is mighty and resistless. If she retains her power, and if she holds her place as queen of his life; then she can do with him as she will. Even unconsciously to herself – without any thought of her responsibility – she will exert over him an influence that will go far towards making or marring all his future. If she has no lofty conception of life herself, or if she is vain and frivolous; she will only chill his ardor, weaken his resolution, and draw him aside from any earnest endeavor. But if she has noble womanly qualities in her soul, if she has true thoughts of life, and if she has purpose and strength of character and faithfulness to principle; then she will be to him an unfailing inspiration toward all that is noble, manly, and Christ-like.

“The high conceptions of life in her mind will elevate his conceptions. Her firm, strong purpose will put vigor and determination into every resolution and act of his. Her purity of soul will cleanse and refine his spirit. Her warm interest in all his affairs and her wise counsel at every point will make him strong for every duty and valiant in every struggle. Her careful domestic management will become an important element of success in his business life. Her bright, orderly, happy homemaking will be a perpetual source of joy and peace, and an incentive to nobler living. Her unwavering faithfulness, her tender affectionate, her womanly sympathy, and her beauty of soul will make her God’s angel to him indeed – sheltering, guarding, keeping, guiding, and blessing him. Just in the measure in which she realizes this lofty ideal of wifehood will she fulfill her mission and reap the rich harvest of her hopes.

“Such is the “woman’s lot” that falls on every wife. It is solemn enough to make her very thoughtful and very earnest. How can she make sure that her influence over her husband will be for good, and that he will be a better man – more successful in his labors and more happy – because she is his wife? It will not be by any mere moral posturing, so as to seem to have lofty purpose and wise thoughts of life; it will not be by any weak resolution to help him and be an uplifting inspiration to him; it will not be by perpetual preaching and lecturing on a husband’s duties and on manly character. She can only do it by being – in the very depths of her soul, in every thought and impulse of her heart, and in every fiber of her nature – a true and noble woman. She will not make him like what she tells him he ought to be, but like what she herself is.

“So it all comes back to a question of character. She can be a good wife only by being a good woman; and she can be a good woman, in the true sense, only by being a Christian woman. Nowhere except in Christ can she find the wisdom and strength which she needs to meet the solemn responsibilities of wifehood. Only in Christ can she find that rich beauty of soul – that gemming and empearling of the character – which shall make her lovely in her husband’s sight when the bloom of youth is gone, when the brilliance has faded out of her eyes, and when the roses have fled from her cheeks. Only Christ can teach her how to live so as to be blessed and a blessing in her married life!”

To those of my readers who are wives, have you realized the tremendous influence for good that you can have towards your husband? Truly this is a very solemn thought. But there is no need to be discouraged or disappointed! As Mr. Miller says, it is in Christ alone that you can find the wisdom and strength that you need, so that you can be blessed and a blessing in your married life! Pray to Him to make your soul and character both rich and beautiful!

Do you have any input about the tremendous influence for good that a wife exercises in her home? Feel free to share your thoughts and questions with all of our readers in the comments section below!

God bless you and your family, this day and always.

All for the King’s glory,

Christian

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash