I cut flowers for my wife knowing should would like them. She cried and told me how wonderful it was that did such a thing knowing how she loves flowers. Then she posted on Facebook. A couple of friends of mine jokingly told me that I was setting the standard too high by my romantic ways. Good! And Praise God! Perhaps the divorce rate will decrease in this nation because of happier relationships.
Here is a very simple principle for husbands; know what pleases your wife and remind her now and then that you know her. The best part is studying her and learning what pleases her.
Too many of us are way too absorbed in pleasing ourselves. That is not the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, is it? He set the standard, not me.
We simply need to follow the example The Lord gave of washing feet along with his death burial, and resurrection. There is one command and one admonition all men and women should think about often:
1. John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
2. John 13:13-17 “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
For husbands and wives, the admonition is repeated and defined in Ephesians chapter 5:
Wives: (Eph 5:22-24) “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”
Husbands: (Eph 5:25-30) “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”
Men, how well do you know your wife? Do you know her as you know the lines on your hands or the very fears in your own heart? What about wives, how often do you let your husband be the leader the Lord has called him to be? Are you willing to give him the space to lead and trust God to lead him?
We should all take a good look into the mirror that is the Word of God and really think about how to put the principles of Christ-like love into action, not just in our marriage but in all our situations and conversations.
“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
BroKen1