Recently I heard it said that a Christian husband had to earn his position as head of the family and also to earn the respect that goes with it, the respect that is scripturally required of the wife. Presumably to earn it from his wife and from children if there were any. Whilst I realise the good intent of such statements, I do not consider them to be scripturally correct.
Scripture is very plain.
There is no mention of any qualification or of earning it. If this assertion about earning headship and respect were true, then a number of things would follow. This is exactly what Satan would like every wife to think. This would give the wife power over the husband. This would be quite against God's order of things.