Happy Wife; Happy Life

[Thoughtful Monk]

I've heard the phrase "Happy Wife; Happy Life" usually in church.

Personally, I don't think there is any Biblical support for the statement. I think it's a worldly expression that the church has adopted.

Out of curiosity, has anyone heard or read a reasonable teaching that the expression is Biblically based?

[Starlight]

There's several proverbs that could be summed up as "unhappy wife, unhappy life", so your phrase is just a simplification of that double-negative.

e.g. Prov 21:9/25:24 "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious wife."
Prov 21:19 "It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful wife."
Prov 27:15 "A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike;"

[rogue06]

I've heard the phrase "Happy Wife; Happy Life" usually in church.

Personally, I don't think there is any Biblical support for the statement. I think it's a worldly expression that the church has adopted.

Out of curiosity, has anyone heard or read a reasonable teaching that the expression is Biblically based?

I think the closest to that concept might be found in Ephesians

Scripture Verse: Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

© Copyright Original Source

and that seems to be a bit of a stretch

[whag]

I think the closest to that concept might be found in Ephesians

Scripture Verse: Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

© Copyright Original Source

Comparing marital love to the atonement seems a bit of a stretch, as well.

[Mountain Man]

I've heard the phrase "Happy Wife; Happy Life" usually in church.

The corollary is "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

I don't know if it's a strictly Biblical sentiment beyond being simple common sense that a happy (as in content and satisfied) spouse is more enjoyable to be around.

[KingsGambit]

Something not having biblical support does not automatically mean it's incorrect. I agree with how MM puts it and that it's not meant to be taken strictly literally.

[rogue06]

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[Littlejoe]

I've heard the phrase "Happy Wife; Happy Life" usually in church.

Personally, I don't think there is any Biblical support for the statement. I think it's a worldly expression that the church has adopted.

Out of curiosity, has anyone heard or read a reasonable teaching that the expression is Biblically based?

The phrase has been around a while but, I think (now Christian) comedian Jeff Allen has made it well known in Christian circles.

[KingsGambit]

If we're going to discuss this from a Christian standpoint, Ephesians 5:25 comes to mind: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her". The Bible scholar Wayne Grudem (whom I don't agree a whole lot with, but that has nothing to do with anything) famously left a great teaching position to move to Arizona because his wife was struggling with the cold up north due to a medical condition. Personally, I also left a job I loved and moved cross country because my wife was having a hard time where we were living. Any husband should be willing to do something like that if the need arises, and it can only have good effects in one's own marriage.

[rogue06]

The phrase has been around a while but, I think (now Christian) comedian Jeff Allen has made it well known in Christian circles.

Every time you agree with your wife when she is wrong just to keep her happy you shrink by 1mm.

[Littlejoe]

Every time you agree with your wife when she is wrong just to keep her happy you shrink by 1mm.

It's a fact that if you always acquiese even if she's wrong, you will be failing the test. Experts call it the "fitness test". You are tested to see if you are still worthy to lead the family/household. It comes in all forms of sneaky ways too. This is not to say if you're wrong, you shouldn't own up to it and try to correct it.