Single or Married

Day 24 – Married to an Unbeliever

Verses 3 and 4 elaborate on what Peter was emphasizing in verse 2. This Victorian lady in the picture looks beautiful, doesn’t she? Her dress is lovely and her hair is just right. She seems so peaceful sitting there reading. However, that does not make her godly, does it? Peter is not saying that we shouldn’t look nice, but that we should be just as nice looking on the inside. The wife of an unbelieving husband must have a heart right with God. She also must have a meek and quiet spirit, which Peter says is of great value in the eyes of God! Don’t you want to be regarded as a woman of great value in the eyes of God? I know I do.

Noah Webster defines meek as:

Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries

It helps me to understand a passage like this more clearly if I think of the opposites of the definition. For example, if a meek wife is of great value in God’s eyes, then the opposite of that meek wife would not be of great value. That woman who have a temper, be harsh, loud and unkind, easily agitated, not submissive, and intolerant of incompetence. Are you like this woman of no value to the Lord? Your husband will not be get saved if you are not practicing a meek spirit.

Verse 4 also says she has a quiet spirit. I simply love Noah’s definition of quiet in this verse.

Peaceable; not turbulent; not giving offense; not exciting controversy, disorder or trouble; mild; meek; contented.

I love looking up what the meaning of a word had back in the times that our blessed King James Bible was written. Today’s definitions are so diluted and the word quiet no longer means this so today’s woman does not get the full blessing that comes with this verse. Can you imagine the unbelieving man who has a wife who has these qualifications?

Mild tempered
Soft (submissive)
Gentle (not loud or unkind)
Not easily provoked or irritated
Yielding (again submissive)
Patient and forgiving to those who hurt her
Peaceable
Not turbulent (stirring up strife)
Not giving offense
Not exciting controversy, disorder or trouble
Meek
Contented

These qualities are the product of a born-again woman desiring with all her heart to see her husband saved. She will go great lengths to allow the Holy Spirit to work in her heart so that she meets these standards set out in 1 Peter 3:3-4. A woman who is this valuable in God’s eyes will be shining with the love of Christ in all areas of her life. How can her husband help but see her Jesus through her?

Do you not see, dear sister, that when we are in God’s perfect will, He can and will do a mighty work in your lost or backslidden husband’s life? What is God’s perfect will? He created you to be a helpmeet. Learn and practice all you can in this wonderful role God has given you. You will reap the blessings.

Dear God…
How deficient I have been
In some areas of my life
I want to be of value
To him and in Your sight!