What if she's more spiritually mature than me?

Let's get real about something many Christian husbands struggle with but rarely talk about: feeling spiritually outpaced by their wives. Maybe she's the one who knows Scripture better, prays more consistently, or has deeper theological insights. Maybe she's the one pushing for family devotions while you're still figuring out your own relationship with God.

First, this is more common than you think. Many wives come to faith earlier, dive deeper into spiritual disciplines, or simply have different strengths in their spiritual journey. This doesn't disqualify you from spiritual leadership—it redefines it.

Spiritual leadership isn't about being the most spiritually advanced person in the room. It's about taking responsibility for the spiritual temperature of your home. Think of it like being a thermostat, not a thermometer. A thermometer just reads the temperature; a thermostat sets it.

Your wife's spiritual maturity isn't competition—it's a resource. The strongest marriages have partners who complement each other's strengths. If she's strong in Scripture knowledge, celebrate that. If she's disciplined in prayer, learn from that. If she has deeper theological understanding, receive that as a gift.

The danger comes when you either abdicate responsibility ("She's got the spiritual stuff covered") or become threatened by her growth. Both responses harm your marriage. Instead, see this as an invitation to step up, not step back.

Your leadership shows up in initiative, not expertise. You can lead spiritually by initiating prayer before meals, suggesting you read a devotional together, or simply asking, "How can we pray together this week?" Leadership is about movement and direction, not perfection and knowledge.

Scripture gives us several examples of spiritually mature women partnering with men who were still growing. Consider Priscilla and Aquila, where both are mentioned as teachers, sometimes with Priscilla listed first (Acts 18:26). This suggests her prominent role in spiritual ministry alongside her husband.

Proverbs 27:17 reminds us: *"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."* Your wife's spiritual strength is meant to sharpen you, not shame you. This is God's design for marriage—mutual growth and encouragement.

Ephesians 5:21 calls us to *"submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."* This precedes the well-known passage about roles and suggests that leadership doesn't mean you can't learn from your wife or be influenced by her spiritual insights.

Look at 1 Peter 3:7: *"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."* The phrase "heirs with you" indicates partnership in spiritual matters.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, *"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."* Your spiritual differences can make you stronger together, not weaker apart.

Finally, James 1:5 promises: *"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."* God doesn't shame you for where you are—He meets you there and grows you forward.