On this day as America celebrates love, I am compelled to cherish my husband. I have to start with a bit of sad news. It doesn't take long to glance at our culture and see that Satan has twisted the Truth of Love into a disgusting lie. Love is NOT accepting a sin; it's loving the sinner and having hope that he/she will turn to Christ to change them from the inside out. Love is NOT worshipping your children; it's modeling love with your spouse and teaching Truth through gentle discipline. Love is NOT having countless friends or facebook hits; it's being genuinely there for a girlfriend when she is going through a tough situation. Love is NOT pretending like you can "fix" everyone; it's humbly showing your weaknesses and how Christ has given you hope in this life. Please don't look to the culture to show you and your family what true LOVE is.
God used Paul's letter to the church at Corinth to define what true LOVE is. This is the picture of the all-sufficient love we see on the cross--Jesus Christ--our best example.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
How do we live up to these verses in our own lives? We seek Jesus. Believe me, speaking from experience here, He will change a heart. We cannot do any of this on our own accord. If you think you are friend, you will surely come to a screeching halt. Let me share another verse with you that you probably already know. This is Paul speaking now to the church at Ephesus.
"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:33
This verse really never phased me before my husband Dustin and I participated in a Love and Respect seminar through our church. I guess I always thought of love and respect as one in the same. They are not! So simple, but I never saw it: wives need love, husbands need respect. Ladies, can I reach out to you? Let us learn to control our tongues for the sake of our spouses! Speaking to myself also, we must watch what we say directly to them and to others about them. "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." We all know words have power; this is a huge way that we as wives can really mess up our marriages. It cut me to the heart thinking about this and how, on multiple occasions, I have treated Dustin like a child. Ordering your husband around is disrespectful. The desires of men and women are things that God put in us. And, best part of all, He has given us an instruction book on how to handle each other! Certainly, I am not saying you should honor an abusive situation, but, in all other circumstances, if you give your husband the respect he deserves, the Godly cycle will soon have him giving you the love you so desperately need. This is not only scripturely accurate, it has been tested by yours truly!
So today, see that you are respectful to your husband. What a great way to say I love you! It may be one of the most God-honoring things you can do for him and for your family. Be assured I am not here to step on your toes unless mine have already been stepped on! Our Creator loves us so much and wants us to have the most fulfilling marriages possible--what marriage is supposed to be! Happy Love Day!
