The Duties of a Wife

As I studied my own duties, I noticed that God also calls women to a certain kind of behavior. Heaven is interested that the co-heirs of Eternal Life possess the right spirit and be fit for the life of Heaven. And when reading about the duties of a wife, I wanted to highlight them in red, frame them, and hang them in a visible place so that my beloved would never forget those words. But the Lord has called us to respect the choices of another person, even the closest one, and He has given us freedom in choosing our path.

And yet, I very much wished to clearly identify all the duties of a wife, write them down on paper, and solemnly hand them to my other half, so that she would understand how serious I was and what my goals and expectations were regarding our union.

The preparation of this list of duties was a very joyful event for me, and I anticipated interesting consequences. My wife tried to figure out what and to whom I was writing, but I stood firm and did not reveal my secret.

Finally, the day came when I decided to solemnly present my wife with the list of her obligatory duties. We gathered in the kitchen, and I took out the prepared envelope to hand it to my homemaker. I decided to record the whole event on video, so I set up my phone to record.

My speech was solemn but brief. My wife was glowing with happiness, waiting to see what surprise I had prepared for her.

I said:
“My dear, I hasten to inform you that our honeymoon is over, and now begins the gray everyday routine. And so that you will not be bored, I have drawn up a list of your daily duties that you must faithfully fulfill under my attentive guidance. Please acquaint yourself with this list of what will now be considered your family obligations. I think that every decent wife dreams of receiving such a letter in order to know her exact status and place in the home.”

After this, I solemnly handed my wife the prepared envelope, which she, for some reason, did not hurry to open. I noticed that my beloved seemed somewhat saddened, and I waited to see what would happen next. Tears began to flow from her eyes, and she covered her face with her hands. I had foreseen such a turn, so I had made a copy of the list and waited attentively, anticipating her future joy, continuing to record everything on camera. After a while, my beloved calmed down, resolved something in her heart, and opened the envelope. It was so interesting to watch the changes on her face! First came surprise, then a delighted smile, then sparkling eyes, and at the end of the reading, I was met with strong embraces and passionate kisses. I modestly sat and waited to see whether my helper would approve this list.

Finally, she cried again, but this time out of joy. She clung to me tenderly and began to speak the most beautiful words she could come up with, holding me as tightly as possible. From all that I heard, I understood that my list of duties had been approved, accepted, ratified, and was already in the process of being carried out. I sighed with relief and embraced my beloved tightly.

Inventing duties for one’s wife is the most fascinating and blessed activity for every loving husband. Though not everyone practices it, I recommend you try.

Although reading someone else’s letter and putting it on public display is not customary, I will make an exception and share the contents with you.

“The Duties of a Wife, which she must fulfill daily regardless of health, mood, or life circumstances.
My wife is obligated to:

Know that she is the most beloved, wonderful, and beautiful person in the world.
Believe that she is unique, one of a kind, and a thousand times better than all other women.
Always remember that I love her in any form, in any mood, at any time of day or season.
Know that she has a reliable friend in me who will never betray her or allow her to be harmed.
Do for her family what her loving heart prompts her to do.
Not worry about the financial well-being of her family, but entrust this care to her husband.
Share all her concerns with her husband so they can be solved together.
Believe in God as her conscience and heart lead her.
Recognize herself as a free person, capable of having her own opinions and views on different things and events.
Arrange our home according to her own taste.
Turn to her husband for advice at any time of day or night, without waiting in line and without fear of not being heard.
Express her love whenever she wishes, and in whatever way her heart desires.
Speak of her desire to hear kind words and compliments from her husband at any time of year or day.
Be sincere in her love for her husband and not hide it when she wishes it to come out.
Choose her life path according to the dictates of her conscience and her understanding of truth.
Respect the choices of other people and accept them as they are.
Ask her husband for help in any matter, under any circumstances, whenever there is a need.
Never doubt that she is the best and most beautiful.
Know that her husband’s love for her is destined to grow and develop.
Remember that she will always remain her husband’s friend, no matter what.
Choose her friends according to her heart.
Prepare to continue their friendship in love throughout all Eternity.
Not seek work for the sake of money, but choose that which brings joy and happiness.
Care for her health and seek the best ways and means to preserve it.
Cook and eat what is healthy and enjoyable.
Always share her happiness with the family.
Not take family secrets outside the home.
Give her love to all who need it and to whom she wishes to give it.
Believe that God will give strength where human strength is lacking.
Remember that her husband will never take the place of God and will not interfere in her personal relationship with the Savior.
Not forget to ask God’s blessing on every good undertaking.
Gladly receive what is given to her from a sincere heart.
Be herself, as she is, knowing that she is the best.
Always remember that there is always something better yet to achieve.
Be loved, allow this for herself, and always remember it.
Not restrain her joy when it overflows her heart.
Believe that God has much love, and that it is enough for everyone and for all life’s circumstances.
Not remove anything from these duties.
Learn this entire list by heart and diligently carry it out.
Remember that these duties are not all-inclusive and may be added to over time.”

My wife decided to put this list into a frame and hang it in a visible place so she could strive to fulfill what was written out of pure love. And that is what we did.

I ask you, dear students, not to impose other people’s duties on someone else, but you may practice them in your own life. It is important to remember that they are good for the soul and effective.

Questions for Reflection

Please read 1 Cor. 16:14; 1 Pet. 3:1–7; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:18; 5:21–24; 1 Thess. 5:13; 1 Pet. 1:22; Rom. 12:9–10; Col. 3:12–14; 1 Tim. 2:9–10 in light of this lesson.
What did you understand from this topic?
What other Bible verses came to your mind?
What would your husband write if you asked him to list your duties?
Should wives be given the duties described in this lesson?
What did you think when you saw the title of the lesson but did not know the content?
Do you think every wife would be happy to receive such a list of duties?
Should the husband himself correspond to what he wrote for his wife?
Will such a list have any strength if someone simply copies it from this lesson and hands it to his wife without understanding its meaning?
Will God help the wife and husband live in the light of such duties?
What should you do if no one ever gives you anything like this, but you would very much like it?
What was the purpose of writing this lesson?
Did you notice the respect for freedom of choice that the husband gave his wife?
What risk does a man take by giving such lists to his wife?
What was not written in the “duties of a wife”?