When I was a child, I played a ton of video and computer games. I played even more when I was in college. When I grew up and took on responsibilities like a job and a family, I quit playing video games. Not because they suddenly became evil or ungodly, either. I quit playing video games because they were a selfish distraction to my responsibilities and my loved ones.
In my opinion, many husbands out there need to put on their big-boy pants and turn off the video games. I realize that may offend you. I’m okay with that though. If you’re not offended, you probably have a healthy relationship with any gaming systems in your life. If you are offended, you probably value that relationship with your video games a little too much… maybe more than your wife.
Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself if you are concerned you might have an unhealthy love of video games. (Yes – their biased. This whole topic is biased.)
- How does it make my wife feel when I choose a child’s toy over her?
- Have I ever asked her how she feels about it in a manner that she can answer truthfully?
- Am I okay with her response? Do I believe her?
- Do I feel like I have to justify my behavior? Do I feel at peace with my decision?
- How do I usually feel about my decision when I’m finished playing?
- Where is my wife while I’m playing?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with playing a video game. You need to be honest with yourself though. You need to create an atmosphere where your wife can be honest with you. There’s no justification for being selfish.
This is part of a series of posts centered on loving our wives as Christ loved the church.