Rolling Stone magazine ranks her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time. As the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin is one of the most honored artists by the Grammy Awards. One of my favorite songs of hers is “Respect.” It talks about her desire for a little respect.

Not only do husbands desperately need this from their wives, God’s Word calls wives to gladly extend this to their husbands. The Amplified Bible’s extended paraphrase of Ephesians 5:33 highlights what it looks like for wives to respect their husbands. “However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].”

Wives, how are you doing at respecting your husband? Here’s a short self-assessment taken from the book The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace:

• Do you speak to your husband in a condescending manner?
• Do you treat your husband in private as respectfully as you do your pastor, your neighbor, or your friends in public?
• Does your countenance show your disrespect by angry looks, looks of disgust, crossed arms, etc.?
• Do you talk for your husband or interrupt him?
• Do you try to intimidate or bully your husband by making threats, verbally attacking him, crying, or in some other way manipulating him to have your way?
• Do you bring up his shortcomings to others?
• Do you inappropriately contradict him in front of others?
• Do you compare him unfavorably with other men?
• Do you listen carefully to your husband’s opinion, trying to understand him?
• Do you respect his position in the home so much that he can depend on you to do as he asks even when he is not home?:
• Do you respect his requests by trying to do as he asks, even if it doesn’t seem important to you?
• Would your husband say that you have a meek and a quiet spirit?  If you do, it will be apparent in how you treat him.

Would you pray and ask the Lord to bring you to a place where your heart’s desire is to treat your husband in the above manner? Your marriage relationship will prosper and, more importantly, God will be honored and magnified.