He's Not My "Hubby" - He's My Husband

Have you ever heard a woman call her man "hubby"? Or, worse, refer to him as "the Hubs"?  I find these to be quite demeaning references for a man who has vowed his heart to a woman and become her husband. 

I believe it speaks a lot about a woman who refers to her husband as her "hubby", as though she's got him in her hip pocket.  And
I think other men regard the term disparagingly and it subconsciously lessens their respect for that man.



I honestly believe that names like hubby, hubs, the hubster, old-man, etc, are a kitschy and irreverent way of lowering the office that God gives to every husband.  It's like calling the President of the United States "Prez".  Or calling God, "the man upstairs".  This of course, is my opinion, but I just don't think it's right. 

Why is the title of "Husband" a big deal?
 

God calls himself the husband of Israel.  Open your King James Bible and read with me:

Isaiah 54:5
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

The following verses are emphatic statements about the God who calls himself a husband and underscore his status and awe-inspiring, matchless rank.

Isaiah 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding


We know from scripture that Jesus Christ is our Maker, Creator, Lord of Hosts, King, Friend, Brother, Savior and Redeemer.  But scripture reveals that he's also God and the Husband to all believers. When we read these scriptures, a different light is shed on the word husband, as it should be.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

The Webster's dictionary defines reverence as "fear mingled with respect and esteem".  I really believe that reverencing our husbands should include what we call them. 

The word "husband" is one of my favorite words. 
I was covered with goose bumps when I first spoke it about my man. I remember how bashfully I said it when we were newlyweds, as though I had to convince myself it was really true. I still love to speak the word husband. It is a "wow" word for me.  So much is enveloped in those 7 letters. Husband.


To me, it says,
This is my MAN.
This is the man who chose ME over all others.
This is the man who promised to love me and care for me as long as we both shall live.
This is the man who loves only me.

This is the man who protects me from harm.
This is the man who works hard and supports me.
This is the man who gave me children to love and adore.
This is the man who would fight for me.
This is the man who promised to love me for worse, sickness and poorer. (Anyone can promise to love for better, healthier and richer!)
This is the man in whose arms I find refuge, comfort, strength and love.
This is the man who brings masculinity to our home.
This is the man who would give his life for me.
This is my HUSBAND.

From Scripture, we can see that names and titles are important to God.  We know that God re-named Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Solomon to Jedidiah, Simon to Peter and Saul to Paul the apostle. 

The fact that God calls himself a "husband" gives us an inkling that this title, among his others, is to be held in high esteem. 


Can you imagine calling God your "hubby"?  Some people actually blaspheme God by saying "Lordy" showing a worrisome absence of fear of the Lord.

God instructs we women to submit unto our own husbands as unto the Lord.  In a way, I think that our husband's title is a prototype of and reference to the Lord. 

Sarah actually called her husband (Abraham) Lord. This may have been his preference in order to underscore his new rank in her life due to their kinship (they had the same father). But the reasons are irrelevant.  The fact is, it was put into scripture to record her reverence for her husband.

So. If you have fallen for the unfortunate trend of calling your man -- your husband, your sweetheart, your protector-on-earth -- by a base term, then I encourage you to stop and give him the honor and reverence that is due him.  He is your HUSBAND. 

I wouldn't suggest determining how your husband feels about it first because many may act like they don't care one way or the other. The office ordained to your man, as Husband, was given to him by God the day he married you. And that office deserves respect and admiration.  Clearly Scripture reveals that God expects wives to give reverence to their husbands.  And it starts with his Title.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Modesty Doesn't Mean Frumpy

How to Get Rid of Anxiety

Purging and Surging