The Weaker Vessel

        1Pe 3:7 - "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."
        This verse always made me wonder what God was trying to say to women. Nobody likes to be called weak. Nobody likes to be "put down" or be made to appear insignificant. I am no different in this area, but one day, my view of it all changed for me. I heard the most beautiful analogy of what exactly God was saying in this verse and it made me view this verse differently. Listen to this, ladies, and be blessed! 
        First off, let me ask you - do you have a hutch in your house somewhere, with fragile china dishes stored behind glass doors? Do you give your daughters your best tea set to play house with? Do you let your boys play ball near your fine crystal vase that sits in the corner of your room or up on the shelf? Are all your breakables put up high from those little toddler hands exploring the world? Why not? Simply because those items are fragile. That vase or those dishes are something very special to you and you make a special attempt to protect them from harm. They are not any 'less' then the every day dishes you use for normal serving - in fact, they are more special and are viewed as precious. We, as women, are like those precious, fragile, delicate dishes. God does not view us as weaklings, but He sees how special we are and puts us under the protection of our husbands to watch out for us. Their leadership and authority is the hutch or shelf that puts us out of the way of dangeray. We are tender, gentle, precious, and beautiful in our special place where God has placed us. It is for our safety that He keeps us 'undercover' and away from the things that would hurt or break us. It is not a bad thing to be 'weak' as this verse puts it. The gentle spirit of a woman is a blessing and I believe that her emotional side was taken from Adam and placed inside the woman. And to top it off, when we are in our rightful place, our prayers can go to heaven unhindered! God will hear us and answer us. How wonderful is that? Be proud of who God made you and let the world know that you are a woman and you are not ashamed to be who God created you to be. And rest in the peace that God knows best and loves you so very much. God bless you all!