Ways to Respect Your Wife

Respect involves sacrifice, commitment, love and appreciation.

Most children learn the meaning of the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The golden rule is the core of respect. Respect is important in relationships, especially in marriage. Respecting your wife involves showing her the commitment, support and appreciation you want to receive. The key is making the demonstration of respect a habit and eventually it will become a part of your relationship.

Be Faithful to Your Marriage Vows

Physical, mental and emotional faithfulness to your wife is an important way to demonstrate respect for your wife. Up to 60 percent of United States marriages will experience physical infidelity, according to the Truth About Deception website. Trust is the foundation of marriage. Your wife needs to trust you in all areas of life especially in those involving intimacy. Trust and respect are partners in a marriage. Let your wife know she is the woman who attracts you and she is the woman you desire. Tell her she looks beautiful and be specific.

Provide Emotional Support

Talk with your wife. Don't talk to your wife. To and with are two very different concepts. Your wife is your friend. By discussing work, friends, family and other life experiences with her the two of you share your thoughts with one another. Discuss differing opinions, problems, dreams for the future and aspirations with your wife and listen to her input. Listening doesn't always mean changing your mind, but by listening to her views you respect what she has to say. Sometimes providing emotional support involves sacrificing what you want to do. If your wife is feeling blue, but you have a ballgame scheduled with friends, respect your wife and stay home with her instead.

Team Unity

Marriage is one relationship involving two people. It is a team. Respect your wife by involving her in your decisions and dreams. The "I" part of marriage should be secondary to the "us" or "we" within a marriage. Find activities to participate in together. Start hobbies together. Spend time with one another nurturing the friendship. When you interact with your wife as an equal partner in the relationship, the two of you begin to function as a team throughout life. Being a team does not mean losing who you are or the individual things you like to do. It does not mean becoming a slave to her whims and desires. Team members have their strengths and weaknesses. Working as a team utilizes each member's assets and balances the member's areas of weakness. A marriage is stronger when respect is shown to each team member.

Demonstrate Appreciation

There is an old adage: "Actions speak louder than words." Show your wife you respect her by helping with household chores, being happy to see her after work, truly wanting to spend time with her and letting her know you love her. Cards, flowers, token gifts are all nice to receive, but physical closeness such as a spontaneous embrace and a kiss in public or private, followed with a "thank you", may be more effective in communicating how much your wife means to you. Demonstrating appreciation for the things your wife does and the love she provides for you show her you respect her contributions to your marriage and life.

References

• Romance In Marriage; Meet Your Wife's Need for Respect; Stanley C. Spencer
• Romance In Marriage; Relationship Needs; Stanley C. Spencer
• Brigham Young University-Hawaii; P.S. What is your dream? Eternal Roles and Responsibilities; Steven C. Wheelwright, et al.; October 2010
• Truth About Deception: Facts and Statistics About Infidelity

Resources

• Open Bible: Bible Verses About Respect the Wife
• "Biola Magazine"; What's the Key to a 'Sunny' Marriage?; Dr. Tim Muehlhoff