I read something this week where women were complaining about their husbands leaving their dirty socks – or laundry in general – on the floor.  One woman said that the devil was right there to whisper, “Your husband does not love you when he leaves his dirty socks for you to pick up.”

Have you felt this way before?

While I haven’t exactly felt unloved by dirty socks on the floor, it has been a little annoying when it happens occasionally.  What we have to realize is that, despite what the devil tries to whisper in our ears, our husbands really aren’t doing it intentionally to cause us any harm.  They certainly aren’t doing it to say, “Hey, I don’t value you or appreciate that you keep the house clean … and by the way, I don’t love you and here’s a dirty sock to prove it!”  In all honesty, they aren’t thinking of anything other than getting those socks off of their feet at the end of the evening.  Should they pick them up when they leave the living room after watching a movie and put them in the hamper in the bathroom?  Yes, it would be much appreciated.  But, chances are, unless they’ve tripped over them, they didn’t give those socks another thought once they took them off and tossed them on the floor beside them.

My point in all of this is that while we would appreciate that he didn’t leave those dirty socks laying around, what harm does it do to pick them up if it happens every now and then?   If it is something that happens every day, then yes, bring it to their attention and ask that they put the dirty socks in the hamper.  But, if it is only occasionally that this happens, extend grace.

After all, don’t you also need grace?  I know I do!

When I leave my pants draped over the shoe tree in my closet because I just didn’t take the time to hang them up, I appreciate that my husband doesn’t make a big deal about it.  And, if you want to know what’s better than him not saying anything about it … is the fact that he will do a favor for me and put them on hangers himself at times without my asking.  Now that is SWEET that not only does he extend grace to me instead of making a big deal about my clothes hanging on the shoe tree, he’ll hang them up for me occasionally as well.  If he does that for me, surely I can extend grace over the times when he will occasionally leave his dirty socks around, and I can pick them up without making a big deal about it.

My point with the whole dirty socks thing is … extend grace.  Just as you’d want your spouse to extend grace to you.

Pick your battles.  Are those dirty socks REALLY worth going to battle over with your spouse?

Just when the devil is there to whisper, “See … he doesn’t love you.  There are those dirty socks again.”  Shut him down, humble yourself to pick those socks up off the floor and put them away yourself.  Choose to LOVE your spouse and believe that your spouse loves you, too, despite those dirty socks and lies from the devil!

Remember, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Don’t allow him to plant untruths in your head about your marriage.  Don’t let him steal your joy or the love you feel for your spouse, and don’t let him destroy the marriage that God has blessed you with!