The Minister's Wife as Peacemaker

The world and the church need more wives with the spirit of Abigail.

Antonise Pita is the wife of Elder Eden Pita. She and her husband live and work in Brazil.

Adam and Eve, the first husband and wife, were created by God to be companions to one another. If we look into the divine motives for the reason of this union, we will find the fundamental objective for marriage: the account in Genesis says that it was not good that man should be alone. He needed a "mate" to share in his love and happiness. Therefore, the Lord made Eve from Adam himself, so that she would feel as a part of him, a suitable helper, the happy companion of her husband.

In his heart, a man does not expect his wife to be an out­standing house cleaner or laundry woman, etc. He does want her to be a faithful and cheerful companion, willing to live with him, loving and under­standing him, caressing him and helping him; he wants her love for her husband to be the highest priority in her life, second only to the love for God.

As ministers' wives we have a great responsibility on our shoulders. The Lord's servant, in the book Adventist Home, page 355, says: "The wife of a minister of the gospel can be either a most successful helper and a great blessing to her husband or a hindrance to him in his work. It depends very much on the wife whether a minister will rise from day to day in his sphere of usefulness, or whether he will sink to the ordinary level.'

The wife's influence speaks decidedly and unmistakably for or against the truth.

Among the wives in Israel there is one that I appreciate very much. I want to introduce you to the one we can call a "peace­maker." Sister White describes her in the book Patriarchs and Prophets, page 667, as follows: "Would that there were many more like this woman of Israel, who would soothe the irritated feelings, prevent rash impulses, and quell great evils by words of calm and well-directed wisdom:"

Sisters, what generosity in the commendation! We all would feel joy to hear such words about ourselves. Who is this fortunate woman? In 1 Samuel 25:3, we read:" ... his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman"

The catastrophe began when the tempestuous Nabal, Abigail's husband, became entangled in difficulties with David. Furious, David wanted to destroy him.

Showing rare wisdom and tact, Abigail dissuaded David of his evil intent. Sister White proceeds saying, "With kind words she sought to sooth his irritated feelings, and she pleaded with him in behalf of her husband. With nothing of ostentation or pride, but full of the wisdom and love of God, Abigail revealed the strength of her devotion to her household" (p. 666).

Today the world and the church need more wives with the spirit of Abigail. You and I can help our husbands immensely if, by the grace of God, we are true Christian peacemakers, as was Abigail.

Dear co-disciples, our spouses —these great men of God, messengers of the Lord Jesus Christ—suffer with the problems of those who were bought with the blood of the Savior. And how they need us! How they need our support and good sense. How they need to find in us a companion who really feels that she is the wife of a missionary: a wife who learned to be in permanent communion with the Lord; a wife who knows how to pray with her husband, holding hands; a wife who can be of good cheer, by the grace of God; a conscious wife who knows that with gentle behavior, the careful word spoken in due time may provide happiness and support to this great man who holds such heavy responsibilities in his noble mission on earth.

May God grant that we might all feel what it really means to be the wife of a missionary and be true peacemakers.

Antonise Pita is the wife of Elder Eden Pita. She and her husband live and work in Brazil.