What Does It Mean To Love?

I want to begin a new focus for Monday with the topic of marriage titled "Marriage Moments." This can will be a fun topic with tips, date night ideas, Biblical truths and lessons, and general discussion of how to improve or simply enjoy our marriages.

Let's tackle loving our husbands today.

"that they admonish the young women to love their

husbands, to love their children," ~ Titus 2:4

The Greek word for love used here is Phileo love. Phileo love means "brotherly love." An online dictionary defines brotherly love as "a kindly and lenient attitude toward people." So lets dissect this definition to determine exactly how we should love our husbands.

• Kindly
1. "Of an agreeable or beneficial nature : pleasant <a kindly climate>"
2. "Of a sympathetic or generous nature"
• Lenient
1. "Exerting a soothing or easing influence : relieving pain or stress"
2. "Of mild and tolerant disposition; especially : indulgent"
• Attitude
1. "A mental position with regard to a fact or state <a helpful attitude>
2. "A feeling or emotion toward a fact or state."

To really apply this to my life, I wrote out my personal statement of love from what I read in the above definitions:

"I will strive to have an agreeable and pleasant attitude toward my husband.

I will work to provide an atmosphere that is soothing and relieving of stress. 

I will attempt to indulge my husband's desires and wishes."

After reading deeper into the word "love" and what it really means to love our husbands, you may wish to write your own version of my love statement. But there are a few key things to remember:

• As long as you are a wife, you have the responsibility to be a Biblical wife. This includes women of all ages and not just young mothers and wives. The verse actually mentions "they" should admonish the younger women and it is in reference to the "older women" from verse 3. Older women must be an example of Biblical womanhood and of being a Biblical wife.
• The Bible is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is God's word. Don't assume that because feminism and today's cultural standards are so common place now that we no longer need follow the Biblical examples and expectations.
• This "love" is an affectionate and familiar love. It is also a love that propels us to care for and serve others. Some women enjoy much appreciation and affection and care in return for their efforts while some women do not. This was not a conditional love or even a natural inclination, it is a learned duty. Pray for someone who will come along side you to urge you in this duty. I think that God knows how women need each other for encouragement and teaching each other. He will surely provide the encouragement necessary to learn to do what He commands.

Let's go love our husbands!

♥Shari

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