To Love and Respect

"So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 6:33

Love and respect, the two things that make a marriage work. Jesus made the list so simple.

Could we go as far as to say that love and respect are the two most important things in a marriage?

I think so.

We have taken something so simple and turned it into a long list of this and that.

For women it's a list of 100 things and for men it's a list of, well, 3.

Why such a difference in the lists? Well men need only a few things, respect, live, and well we all known what the third one is.

Women "need" well actually they think they need a gazillion things but in reality, the thing we desire most is the one thing God listed. Love!

If a man loves His wife as Christ loves the church every other need listed will be met.

If a woman respects her husband every need of his will be met.

I know it's easier typed and said, than done right? Oh, how well I know the truth of that.

I also know Jesus made it simple and we make it so difficult.

If Jesus, whom is love is within us then we are able to do the very simplest command given in our marriages. Love and respect.

Could it be that more joy, life, compassion, commitment, and faithfulness could consume our marriages if we practiced love and respect the way Jesus tells us to?

We have "The Choice" to love and respect our spouses.

And though we have been given the choice, Jesus has also given us the command to love and respect. It was not a suggestion.

Jesus we have added to a list of two that You made simple. Help us see how love and respect fulfill every other need we have. Amen