The Weaker Vessel

The weaker vessel. That's what the Bible says the wife is (1 Pet 3:7). I don't like it. I've never liked it. I've always touted the strong female ideal. That got smashed when I got married. Compared to my husband, I am weaker at almost everything. My IQ and EQ are lower. He has more endurance when we hike. He can unscrew jar lids that I can't. He can solve a million problems, dozens of which I didn't even know I had. He can do chores faster and more efficiently. He's a more technical cook. He knows the Bible better. I could go on and on. I am blessed that my husband is so strong, but lots of times, it makes me feel unworthy, of lesser value. But if I look at it from the flip side, all that stuff my husband is better at and does for me shows what a gift he is. The fact that my husband is so much stronger than me and still cares for me should make me feel good. But it often doesn't. I struggle to accept my role as the weaker vessel. I am prideful. I don’t want to be weak. I don’t want to cause my husband to need to sacrifice. I feel like my weakness is deficiency on my part, something I need to atone for. But God already did that. And God created marriage.

So if I believe that God created marriage (and I believe He did), and if God created me (and I believe He did), then maybe my weakness is part of the plan. My husband pointed out some time ago that my denial of my weakness keeps him from serving me, and that's what he's called to do. Ouch. That really hurts my pride. I want to be the cause of joy and mirth and glee, not pining and refining. But if I want my husband to be sanctified (and I do) and I believe marriage is part of that process (and I do), I’d better stop kicking against the goads and surrender. That means surrendering to my weakness. 

I am weak. I don't like it. But I need to let my pride go and let God use my weakness as He sees fit to do. That means accepting my role as the weaker vessel. This is part of my sanctification. This is part of my husband's sanctification. To God be the glory.