It has been rightly said that “one of the greatest gifts a father can give to his children is to love their mother.” I couldn’t agree more. The success of your children’s future marriages will in large part depend upon the example of yours.
So here are five practical ways to show your kids that you are madly in love with their mother:
Respect Her
…husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife… (I Peter 3:7)
Men, if we want our children to have great respect for their mother, we must start by having great respect for our wife. Find creative ways to honor your wife in front of your children. Speak highly of her, because your view of her will be reflected in your children.
Praise Her
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (Proverbs 31:28)
Learn to practice praising your wife…after a good meal, or…after a bad one. Praise her when she’s up; praise her when she’s down. Praise her in public; praise her in private. Believe me, your kids will notice and take note of how they are to treat both their mother and their future spouse someday.
Touch Her
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice in the wife of thy youth. (Proverbs 5:18)
Physical touch speaks volumes to small watching eyes. Hold hands in the store. Put your arm around her while sitting in church. Kiss her when she brings dinner to the table. Hug her in the kitchen for no reason. Flirt with her in front of your children. Little eyes are paying close attention and taking mental notes for themselves someday. And although they may say, “that’s gross” what that really translates into is “that makes me feel loved and secure.”
Spoil Her
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (Ephesians 5:28)
God is very clear that once a man makes the marriage commitment, he is to care for and treat his wife as his own flesh. Men, this simply means that there is nothing that we should be doing for ourselves that we aren’t equally doing for our wives, and even more so. If anyone in the family gets the best, it ought to be Mom. If anyone in the family gets spoiled with the nicest things, it ought to be Mom. Our children need to see their mother as the queen of the family who is treated as such.
Prioritize Her
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it. (Ephesians 5:25)
Christ gave his Church utmost priority. And in doing so, he set the example for us as husbands to follow toward our wives. Show your children that you prioritize her by pursuing her, doing the dishes for her, spending time alone together, taking her out on dates, and allowing nothing less than respect for her in your home. Whatever you do, don’t ever apologize for letting your children know that mom comes first.
