The modern woman thinks she knows what a man wants because if you spend any time in the check-out lane at a grocery store, you are bombarded with the message that all a man really wants is a woman with an incredible body. But if that’s really the case, then why do so many of the marriages of super-bodies fall apart?
The truth is that men want a lot of things that never get mentioned on the cover of Cosmo. They want respect. They want companionship. They want a hot meal and a happy wife. They want mutual due benevolence. The bottom line is, what ever else they may want, they want peace and comfort in their homes.
How do I know this? Consider all the descriptions of the miserable husband in Proverbs. In every case, he is driven from his home to the roof or the desert because of a mouthy, complaining, unhappy woman.
So what am I saying? Look at it this way. What would most husbands want: a wife who is feeling overweight and in the dumps, or a wife who is feeling overweight and cheerful? A wife who is crying about the pay check not going far enough, or a frugal wife who is rejoicing in the hard times? A wife who is strung out and angry because of homeschooling a bunch of unruly kids all day, or a wife who is tired but can’t wait to tell her husband all the funny things that happened today?
So it’s no good trying to prioritize all the things your husband wants. Maybe he does want a tidy house and a hot meal and some affection when he gets home. Nothing wrong with that. But none of those things matter if the home is full of strife and sorrow and misery. Cheerfulness never makes things worse and always makes it better.
I’m not saying a wife should pretend to be happy and put on a fakey smile for her husband. Of course not. We should find peace and comfort and joy in Christ, and every Christian woman has access to those generous resources. Then, and only then, can we make our homes full of peace and comfort. In fact, we can’t help it. If we have it overflowing in our own hearts, it can’t help but slosh over.
So when it comes to deciding what our priorities are in the home, consider cheerfulness at the top. Establish peace. Extend comfort. That’s what makes home a desirable destination.
