Building Up
Building Up
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Prov. 18:21)
“Late again,” I muttered. Dinner was cold and the kids were in bed. Dan had another big deadline that kept him working late. I lugged a laundry basket into the den and started folding clothes. Soon the back door opened. Dan came in, giving me a half smile and a kiss. He looked exhausted.
After warming his dinner, I caught him up on our preschoolers’ latest antics and how much I was looking forward to our plans for tomorrow night. “The sitter is confirmed,” I said.
Dan didn’t say a word; he just looked at his plate and chewed. Suspicious, I asked, “We’re going to the party, right?” He looked at me sadly. “I can’t, Tara. We have a last-minute meeting that will go late.”
“But, Dan, Friday night?”
“We’ve got to get this project finished. I may even have to work Saturday too. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”
I stood up, suddenly seething. “I’ve heard that a hundred times before, Dan. You won’t ever make it up to me—you’re too far in the hole. I’m so sick of this. You always disappoint me!”
Stomping to our room, I punched my pillow and flopped onto the bed. I lay there a long time, thinking it over. I had torn into him over something he couldn’t control when what I really wanted was to shore him up. I began to pray for help to mend the hurt I’d caused.
The pressure men feel to perform at work can be overwhelming. The world tells them they’ve got to work harder and longer to be successful—or even to keep their jobs. At home our careless words make it worse. We can honor our husbands by encouraging and building them up (1 Thess. 5:11).