Love and Respect

Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33).

The basic need of the wives is love. The basic need of the husband is respect. The husband’s main responsibility before God is to show Agape love to his wife. The wife’s main responsibility is to show respect to her husband.

In Ephesians 5, Paul compares the husband and wife relationship to the relationship we as the church has to Jesus. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.

This Agape love is a love of action, not feeling. Husbands are to show by their actions that they love their wives. Wives need to hear I love you frequently and then need to see I love you demonstrated in practical ways. Helping with the dishes, the laundry, house cleaning, and taking care of the kids so the wife can have some “free” time can be tangible expressions of love.

Agape love is unconditional and self-sacrificial. Agape love expresses itself regardless of the response for it is unconditional. Agape love puts itself last because it is self-sacrificing.

Nowhere in the New Testament is the wife commanded to Agape her husband with the unconditional, self-sacrificing love. Once in Titus 2 the wives are commanded to love their husbands, but the word for love there is the Greek Word Phileo (friendship) and not Agape. But the wife is commanded in verse 33 above to respect her husband.

Husbands need to hear words of encouragement like: You did a great job with…or I think you’re the best at…or I like the way you…A man needs the affirmation that his wife values him and what he does for the family. And that’s the major responsibility of the wife.

Let’s believe God for our marriages to be strengthened by the Father. And husbands, love you wives. Wives, respect your husbands!