Desparate Housewives and the Christian Husband

ABC’s top show remains Desperate Housewives, the quintessential drama that defines the American “marriage.” While we are tempted to point fingers and blame such cinemadrivel for the breakdown of the family, we’d better think again. Art imitates life as they say and Desperate Housewives is simply marketing a taste people already have.

Who is responsible for the success of this show (and others like it)? No one person, certainly. But, I suspect we would not include the Christian husband in the bunch. However, I wonder if he should not be at least mentioned. The church has a responsibility and privilege to promote godly husbandry. Doing so promotes godly homes and families. However, with the feminization of America has come the feminization of the church. Simply stated, the church is not offering or producing an alternative to the pool boy or gardener. The church is not making men out of boys, but boys out of men. And women don’t like boys. So, they find satisfaction in the recesses of Wisteria Lane instead of the communion of saints.

Before I deflect too much responsibility to an impersonal “church,” I must confess that I have contributed to the success of Desperate Housewives. God has granted me an amazing wife, who I am prone to take for granted. It’s up to me that she not grow jealous of anyone or anything except for my godliness. In other words, no one cleans the pool but me. Familiarity does breed contempt and contempt is all too familiar in the Christian home.

There is a certain reality behind the show that is very much credible. Wives who are consistently neglected grow desperate. That’s true. The adultery, murder and deception are not nearly as entertaining as the affection, attention and attraction of men. How they remedy that neglect is wrongfully depicted, but the need is nonetheless real. This is not Hollywood’s problem to solve, but the church’s.

I hope no wives in our congregation watch Desperate Housewives. But, if they do I’d better call and wake up her husband. Do the same for me, will you?