Respect with Skin on -- How a Woman can Build Her House

In The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands Dr Laura Schlessinger quotes Tammy, whose father had given her this advice:
"You are marrying a man.  Always treat him like one and he will always act like one."
Tammy followed that advice and writes:
"I have noticed that in every area of our marriage, work, home, family, children, career, David excels when I treat him like a man.
             I mean by this that I do not demand he do thing. I ask. I suggest options for his problems and then let him pick one. I never differ with him in front of the children. I do not deal with his family in an unpleasant situation---I let him deal with his family.
                 I never do anything to embarrass him or make him feel less manly in front of his family, coworkers, children, neighbors, or friends.
               Let me tell you what this gets me. It gets me a man who is so comfortable with his masculinity that he can focus on being tender and loving and giving to me constantly because he is never concerned about protecting his ego or proving he is the 'man of the house.' I do that for him."

Let me add that, of course, sinners marry sinners, and so men will act less than manly and women will disrespect, but there is sufficient grace for those who repent and ask God to forgive.  Jesus was the only perfect manly man and he perfectly honored his father.   In Christ, his obedience can be credited to our account.

The Force of Influence

"In denying woman authority, which goes from the strong to the weak and is submitted to out of necessity, the Creator has accorded her influence, which typically goes form the weak to the strong and is freely accepted, but only on the condition that it is not at all evident."

Woman  Her Mission and Her Life by Adolphe Monod