Put The Right Foot Forward
Have you
ever wondered why the guy is supposed to carry his bride over the threshold?
Blame the Romans. They believed that good and evil spirits fought for control
at a home’s entrance. For good to prevail, Romans felt you must enter a room
with your right foot first. Romans concluded that a new bride in a highly
emotional state might be careless and forget about the “right foot” stuff. To
prevent possible tragedy, they decided it best for the groom to carry his bride.
[McHenry’s Quips, Quotes & Other Notes]
The real
key to having a home filled with goodness is for the husband to put the right
foot forward in guiding the home after he steps across the threshold. He needs
to walk in the right path. “Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for
I delight in it” (Psalm 119:35). His steps need to be guided by the Lord. “The
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though
he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His
hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).
Headship of
the home is commanded by God to be borne upon the shoulders of the man. The
head of woman is the man but the head of man is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3). Leadership
in the home is guided by the man who loves his wife and cherishes her as Christ
does the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). That first step across the threshold will
never leave in anger (Ephesians 4:25-26; Colossians 3:19).
As the
groom carries the bride across the threshold of the home he will also be
responsible to carry his bride across the threshold of life. By his hand he
will protect her, hold her, guide her and softly caress her with love (Proverbs
5:15-20). Together they will share in the blessings of being heirs in one of
the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). With understanding and honor the husband will
dwell with his wife shielding her from the dangers of “principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts
of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
In most
cases when the groom carries the bride across the threshold, she is holding on
(for dear life) with arms wrapped around his neck. She embraces his role and
wraps her love around his life to help him be the man her heavenly Father wants
the husband to be. By her example she wins his heart and secures a home built
upon the trust and fidelity of righteousness (1 Peter 3:1-6). The conduct of
the bride will help create or destroy the home as she submits to the leadership
of the husband. This is contrary to popular views but in complete harmony with
the will of God.
Together
they step through the door of their home to create what God intended for man in
the Garden of Eden. “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be
alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’" (Genesis 2:18). They
agree on the plan given to them by the Lord (Amos 3:3) and build a home of
unity. He is known in the gate and praised by his family for his spiritual
leadership in guiding the lives of his family to the throne of God. As Noah of
old, the groom embarks upon a journey of helping his wife and children be found
safely in the ark of salvation. Watch that first step – it is a big one!
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