Man Love
~Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
We talk about love in many ways: romantic love, erotic love, and friendship love. Words matter: The word love used in the biblical description of family calls for husbands to choose to love their wives – no matter what. Now, what does it mean to choose to love? This kind of love is a commitment to love, no matter the response. It’s always easy to love someone who loves us back. When someone shows us kindness and offers words of encouragement and affirmation, they are easier to love. But, to love someone in the midst of conflict, in disappointment – even when it hurts – well, that is tough love. In the biblical description of “family,” the husband is called to be committed to his wife. To be respectful. To love and to forgive, no matter what. In the first century, this was radically counter-cultural. Just as the Word of God applied to the first century, the ...