The pastor, smiling proudly, looked at the one man still standing in place.
“Brother,” he said with admiration, “it warms my heart to see that at least one man in this congregation is strong, independent, and not controlled by his wife. Tell us your secret. How do you do it?”

The man scratched his head nervously, cleared his throat, and whispered, “Well, Pastor… the truth is… my wife told me this morning, ‘Don’t you dare move to the left no matter what happens!’ So here I am.”

The whole church burst into laughter. The men who had stepped left laughed the loudest, partly because they understood, and partly because they were glad someone else had just admitted the truth out loud.

The pastor chuckled, shaking his head. “So, you’re not free… you’re just following orders.”

The man shrugged. “Pastor, after 30 years of marriage, I’ve learned something important: survival is not about fighting your wife—it’s about outsmarting her. And if outsmarting her means standing still and pretending to be brave, then guess what? I’ll stand here all day!”

A man in the front row yelled, “Preach it, brother! That’s wisdom right there!”
Another man added, “He’s not standing still because he’s brave—he’s standing still because his wife’s giving him the death stare from the second pew!”

The wives in the audience clapped and laughed, some nudging their husbands. One woman shouted, “See? Honesty finally comes to church!”

The pastor, still grinning, asked the congregation, “Alright then, brothers, let’s be honest. Who here controls the remote at home?”
Every man looked down at his shoes. Not one hand went up.
The pastor raised an eyebrow. “And who here has to ask permission before buying a new tool, fishing rod, or pair of sneakers?”
Every hand shot up instantly.

The pastor laughed so hard he nearly dropped his Bible. “Brothers, it looks like we’ve solved the mystery: behind every strong man is an even stronger woman—usually holding the credit card.”

The service ended with everyone in stitches. The men walked out shaking their heads, muttering things like, “I told you so,” while the women walked out taller, prouder, and maybe just a little smug.

As for the one “brave” man? He got home, sat down in his chair, and his wife handed him the grocery list. “Congratulations, hero,” she said. “Now go pick up the milk.”

And he went—straight to the store, left side, right side, no complaints.