Because you listened to your wife...

I think one of the saddest verses found in the Bible is Genesis 3:17...

"To Adam [God] said, "Because you listened to your wife..."

When Eve chose to listen the Serpent in the garden, she not only opened herself up to deceit, she learned what a powerful tool words can be. She immediately took what she learned from the serpent, and then used her new found skill of persuasion on Adam.

And we all know what happened next, "She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." (Gen 3:6) Adams first mistake was not when he took the apple, it was when he listened to his wife.

I wonder how many times we have cursed our husbands by forcing our ideas, opinions and wishes on them?

Be honest. We've all done it. We think we have a better idea or a better way. We use our not-so-innocent questions to persuade them into thinking like us. We say things like, "but have you thought about...why would you do that when we could..." And all along, we know what we are doing...getting them to arrive at (what we have already decided) the "best" decision is.

Sometimes it can seem insignificant, "Why did you park here?" "How come you chose the slowest lane?" "Do you really need that?"

And while these questions seem to be no big deal, they condition our husbands into thinking we have a better way. So to win our approval, they usually adapt accordingly.

You might be thinking, "but sometimes I DO have a better way. I know my way will save us a lot of...time, energy, money..."

But women, there is a reason that we are under the authority of our husbands and they rule over us (Gen 3:16). There is a reason we are called the "weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3:7).

The Bible tells us that Eve was deceived, not Adam (1 Tim 2:14). Our flesh might be telling us that we have a wiser way or a thriftier idea, but I think that the truth is, we are just deceived.

Adam's mistake was listening to Eve.

What Eve thought was a good decision, was actually the path that led to their death. She told Adam to eat the apple, because she was deceived into thinking it would cause them to be like God, knowing good and evil. She thought she knew a wiser way and she persuaded Adam to follow her.

Don't let your husband be cursed for listening to you. Respect his lordship over you. After all, he is your head and a head has a brain.