This October I’ll marry a “rich” (in my mind, anyway) CPA husband. I always imagined marrying a poor seminary student, so I’ve been pleasantly taken back by this surprising twist. Truth be told, I’ve looked forward to mooching off of him, to not having to put in forty hours at the office each week, to benefitting from his labors.
But then I read this in The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian:
“Show me how I can help increase our finances and not decrease them unwisely.”
What an intriguing concept.
I mean, I’d definitely imagined blessing him physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, but financially? Not so much.
Turns out, marriage is not an excuse for laziness.
I’m a little slow. I should’ve already known that from Proverbs 31, right?
“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.”
In other words, she herself makes her husband rich.
But just because she herself offers her husband precious value doesn’t earn her a get-out-of-work-free card. The passage continues,
“The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain” (emphasis added).
If you’re skeptical that this gain could include actual physical, material wealth, keep on reading:
“She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. . . . She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household . . . She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard . . . She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night . . . She makes linen garments and sells them . . . She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Prov. 31:12–27).
So I have a new aim: to bless my future husband in every area, including our finances.
How about you? Is there a way you can help increase your husband’s finances while still “looking well to the ways of your household”? Or, at a minimum, are there ways you can take care that you’re not decreasing your husband’s finances unwisely?
(Singles, this starts right now, with what you do with your money even before you meet your someday husband.)
Am I the only one, or does anyone else out there need to repent of a mooch-like attitude? Let’s get to work, ladies, and bless our husbands in every way. Yes, even financially.
Is Marriage a Get-Out-Of-Work-Free Card? was originally posted on TrueWoman.com.
Paula (Hendricks) Marsteller is a compassionate, bold Christian communicator offering you gospel hope, thought-provoking questions, and practical help along the way.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much! God gives good, undeserved gifts. 🙂
This is true
Congratulations, Paula! What a wonderful blessing from God!!
I’ve just started reading your blog (I hope to read your book soon!) and have been blessed. This article was a new revelation to me, I’ve just never really heard of the biblical concept of a woman blessing her husband finaically by putting in to the family coffer, but there it is! Thank you!!
Thanks so much, Moriah!
Congrattttsss Paula, I am amazed of how the Lord works. I just read last October your book about A boy crazy girl and now you are getting married… Wowww I am so happy. God bless your relationship. 😀
I am amazed too, Alesha! I thought I’d be single for life. 🙂 He gives incredible, undeserved gifts.
I don’t think you know how EXCITED I am about your engagement!!!!!! Congrats!!! I cannot wait to learn more from you as you journey through this time of your life. 🙂 God is so good!!!
Isn’t He good, Brooklyn?!
Thanks for being excited for me!