My Influence: A Help or a Hindrance?

As a wife, you are the helper God has given to your husband, and therefore, you are a vital part of his ministry.  You are the person closest to your husband and the one who has the most influence on him. Will you use your influence to be a help or a hindrance to him in his ministry?

Let's think about some of the women in the Bible who influenced their husbands.

The first woman that comes to my mind is the first woman, Eve.  Genesis 3:6- "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."  It is true that Eve was deceived and her husband sinned willfully.  But how sad that she was the one who provided the opportunity for him to do so.  

Sarah is upheld as an example of a woman who was submissive to her own husband (1 Peter 3:5-6). She encouraged her husband Abraham by setting out alongside him as he obeyed God's call to leave behind everything he knew and follow God's leading to an undisclosed land.  What a blessing for Abraham to have along a supportive and uncomplaining wife as he headed into the unknown.

Unfortunately, it was the influence of this same woman on her husband which brought about the conflict between the Arab and Jewish peoples that we are still experiencing today.  "So Sarai said to Abram, 'See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai." (Genesis 16:2) How sad when we fail to look to the Lord and trust Him for His provision, and instead try to "help God out" by coming up with our own cleverly devised schemes.  And even sadder when we convince our husband to go along with our plan instead of seeking the Lord's will.  

Jezebel, the daughter of a king, is best known for the influence she held over her husband.  1 Kings 21:25 tells us, "Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD".  And why was it that Ahab's name became synonymous with wickedness?- "because Jezebel his wife incited him." Her influence pushed her husband farther into lies, murders, and idolatry; and led to God's judgment upon a nation.  

Priscilla and her husband, Aquila. This dynamic duo are never mentioned apart from each other.  They truly functioned as one in the Lord.  Together they were a team that helped build up the early church.  Their home was always open to the believers.  They helped train new believers to be more effective for the Lord- "But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him (Apollos), they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." (Acts18:26) Paul the apostle calls them both his fellow workers.  Because of Priscilla's support of her husband, the effectiveness of their ministry was overwhelming.

As you can see from the above examples, a wife's influence is never a neutral thing.  You will either be a help or a hindrance to your husband in his ministry.  The choice is yours.