Won over without a word

During birthday week a young friend of M.'s sat at our table. During dinner he shared a joke about women that was less than complementary. Since it wasn't dirty, I decided to bite my tongue and let it pass. Bless my sweet boys, they did not get the joke and as the boy was explaining it he said, "you know, because women and moms are known for nagging all the time." (By the way, the look of fear on my husband's face was priceless. I think he was trying to decide how to tell our good friends that I had eaten their son!)

It made me start thinking. Why are women known for nagging? I can't deny that we all seem to do it. Why? In my own life I don't see it as nagging as much as guiding the men in my life. I feel that they should be thrilled to have access to my superior intuition.

Reading 1Peter reminded me about some truths about the way God made males and females. Women are more emotional (both a strength and a weakness) and men are more physical (again strength and weakness). The way we get along best is to use each other's strengths and be confident in our own. A husband is to gently cherish and protect his wife. He is to use his strength to be understanding and loving. A wife is to use her emotional intuition to support her husband through prayer, winning him without a word.

So yes, women often see issues and needs that should be addressed. It is what action we take that defines us as godly or nagging. We are told to be quiet, to have a gentle and quiet spirit. I think this means that outwardly we extend grace instead of conflict. We shut our mouths when we long to pick someone apart. Instead we go to battle in the best way possible, we pray. We use all the insight God has given us and take it to the One that wants to hear every little detail from us. We can beg, plead, and pour out our hearts in prayer and instead of letting our words fall on the worn out, deaf ears of our men. We can pound the heart of God and He gladly intervenes.

All this to say, I wonder if this can help me with my changing boys. They have heard all the rules, encouragements, and warnings. Maybe now is the season for silence. Waiting for them to approach me with a teachable heart asking for answers rather than raining down caustic wisdom that burns their ears into deafness. Maybe now is the season for listening and prayer, living out the truth rather than preaching it. Praying to God rather than nagging my men.

This one is going to be ohhhh so hard. I can not for the life of me figure out how to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself!