May 19 | God’s Invitation to the Wives | All In The Family | Amy Christie

With God’s provocative call to the husbands in our minds, we now consider what the Spirit may want the wives within our spiritual family to hear. To that end, we turn to Colossians 3, in which the Apostle Paul speaks directly to the families of the church in Colossae. Yet again, Paul is speaking into a highly patriarchal culture, but his encouragement goes far beyond the customs of the day: inviting followers of Jesus to “clothe themselves” with the characteristics of Christ. As we reflect on our own culture, which so often infantilizes, demeans, and enables unresourceful husbands, the wives of Grace must consider what it would mean for them to be champions of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in their marriages. Perhaps through this posture of self-giving love they can demonstrate to the world that there is, even in marriage, another way to live.