Any mom who cares for a growing child knows the importance of praise in their children's life. Not only does it help to build a healthy sense of self esteem, it also reminds a child that he or she is loved. In the same way, any wife who cares for her husband will also know the importance of praise in a marriage. It's vital to a growing relationship.
What is praise exactly? It's a positive expression we offer another that shows our admiration and approval of who they are.
Do you realize that there are four verses in Proverbs alone that talk about nagging wives? They are referred to as quarrelsome, fretful, and a continual dripping. If you've ever experienced a leaky roof, you'll know how annoying that is. We experienced one about 20 years ago in our back porch, and regardless of how many times I emptied the pail it would only fill up again. That's the danger with nagging. It can become a never-ending habit if left unchecked, and unfortunately it festers resentment.
Praise on the other hand has the reverse affect. It builds the bond of marriage and draws a couple closer together. That's only two of the benefits, let's take a look at five more!
5 Reasons to Praise Your Husband:
1. When you affirm him you are affirming your adoration of him. Knowing that someone loves you deeply strengthens the bond of marriage. Think of it this way: we form the strongest friendships with those that we deeply trust.
2. When you praise him for the little things he does, it's more likely that he'll be encouraged to repeat them in the future.
3. When I praise my husband whether it be in his presence or in his absence, we bear witness of our marriage covenant. Keeping in mind that marriage reflects the covenant between Jesus Christ and the church it's important to honor our vows in the best way we know how.
4. Kindness is an attractive quality. There's no possible way a wife can be attractive when she's constantly nagging her husband. Sure, you can put the pretty on, but unless you're also attractive it wears thin. There's nothing appealing about a critical spirit.
5. He'll be glad to come home. Let's face it, the world is tough place. Many of our husbands are dealing with difficult situations at work and need a sense of relief when they walk through the door. Unfortunately some other husbands are working with women who are building them up outside of the home. If we want a husband who is glad to come home to his wife, we can make him feel welcome by letting him know that we appreciate him, that we respect him, and that we're glad he is with us.