Gayle Haggard- A wife of noble character who can find?
I was so taken by this that it inspired me to start this new blog (my old one long suffered from neglect) and, thus, it is my first post.
You are probably familiar with the Ted Haggard story by now and, while he has gotten much negative attention, his wife has deserved some attention of the positive kind. While there are many responses that we may have expected from her in reaction to her husband’s failings, unfortunately the right one may not have been on our list. Praise God that wives of noble character are out there (and I especially praise God that I am married to one!) and Gayle has shown herself to be just that. I’m grateful to tallskinnykiwi for bringing a letter that she composed to her congregation to my attention (you can find the full text at his site). In that letter Mrs. Haggard states:
“What I want you to know is that I love my husband, Ted Haggard, with all my heart. I am committed to him until death ‘do us part.’ We started this journey together and with the grace of God, we will finish together. If I were standing before you today, I would not change one iota of what I have been teaching the women of our church. For those of you who were concerned that my marriage was so perfect that I could not possibly relate to the women who were facing great difficulties, know that this will never again be the case. My test has begun; watch me. I will try to prove myself faithful.”
That last line got me- “My test has begun; watch me. I will try to prove myself faithful.” How many women do you know who would be as bold and as God-focused to say such a thing? I pray that Gayle will be an example, not only to our daughters, but to each and every one of us. This might be a good time to crack open Proverbs 31 for some meditation.
Wow. I am also struck by that last line. To say, “watch me” is a very faithful statement. Faithful in what the Lord will show others through her. She could have easily said nothing therefore turning down the heat for herself. Very cool!
It reminds me of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 4:16: “I urge you, then, be imitators of me.” When Paul wrote that it was in the context of his description of himself as a “fool for Christ” (vs. 10). He says: “we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless, when persecuted we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of hte world, the refuse of all things” (verses 11-13). This is what we are entreated to imitate. To live a life worthy of imitation was Paul’s experience and should be our goal.