Melissa had a successful career and was proud of it. When she was a young girl she promised herself she would not let anything stop her from fulfilling her dream of becoming a well-known, highly-esteemed and admired figure in the corporate world. Through discipline, determination and lots of hard work, she achieved her goal at the young age of 29.
Mike, her husband whom she married after graduating from college, was not as accomplished as his wife. He was a painter who struggled for recognition in the art world. He was talented, but in the first few years of their marriage, he barely earned enough to consistently pay their bills. No matter what he did or how much he tried, he just was not able to give Melissa the comfortable life he wished he could provide her.
But that did not matter to Melissa… at first.
Yes, she indeed loved him. But after celebrating their 3rd anniversary when they were finally ready to have a baby, they found out from their doctor that they could not because Mike had a medical problem that prevented them from having a child.
It was then that Melissa focused on her work. She worked harder than anyone else and was promoted time and again. But as her career climbed higher, her view of her husband diminished little by little.
She started resenting him for his shortcomings. When she came home for work, she would criticize his cooking, the way he dressed, and even questioned and discouraged him when he shared to her his plans. Mike in turn resented her for not being supportive and for being too critical.
As a result, they grew further apart. Melissa started working overtime every day. She did not want to go home to him.
One night after working late in the office, she collapsed in the parking lot. Security guards found her and called for an ambulance. She had a stroke.
At the hospital, friends and family visited her. Mike did everything for her. He talked to everyone who visited, consulted with the doctors about her condition, and did all paper work that needed to be done. Mike seldom left her side except to go home for an hour or so to shower and change.
During one of those times when he was away. The pastor from the local church walked in and introduced himself as Mike’s pastor. Apparently, Mike started going to his church two months earlier and became a Christian. Mike asked him to come visit them at the hospital to pray for her healing. The pastor also told her that Mike loved her very much and was proud of her.
She broke down in tears when she heard this. After she had been giving him a hard time all these years, after treating him like he was simply someone who just happened to live in her house, he still continued to love her.
The pastor shared the gospel to her, and when Mike returned, he was greeted by his Christian wife.
Four days later, after suffering another stroke, Melissa was welcomed into the loving arms of God.
“Let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph. 5:33b)