What are the principles for loving another person, that God would want you to follow? Jesus was led into this question when He was asked by the Pharisees "which is thegreatest commandment?" "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heartand with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatestcommandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew22:37-38).
The definition of a neighbor (according to the dictionary) is, "a person who livesclose by." And who do you live closest to, or at least who SHOULD you live closestto, but your God and also your spouse? After all, you entered into a covenantrelationship with both of them when you took your wedding vows. That means thatyou should love them unto the extraordinary -- beyond that which you love anyoneelse.
In the Bible in Luke 10, we see that Jesus was asked "Who is my neighbor?" Jesuswent on to tell the parable of the good Samaritan, who showed great mercy to someone he didn't even know. Afterwards, Jesus let the "experts" know that THE ONE WHOSHOWED MERCY was the one who showed himself to be a neighbor. He then said, "Goand do likewise."
It's a principle for loving that we are to follow -- both to the person outside of our home, but especially to the person within our home --the one with whom we entered into a covenant relationship. So beyond showing mercy and grace and helping to bind the wounds of our "neighbor"who is our spouse, what other principles are we to follow? As we read the Bible,it could help us to keep in mind that THE PRINCIPLES FOR LIVING ARE ALSO THEPRINCIPLES FOR LOVING that the Bible shows us. It's our Principle Guide Book forhow we are to treat one another. This especially applies to how we live with thespouse that we've vowed before God to "love, honor, and cherish, 'till death" dowe part.
We often forget that as believers in Christ, we've vowed to be "promise keepers"and also to have a servant's heart and posture in how we deal with each other.We're told in Philippians 2:3-8 that our attitude "should be the same as that ofChrist Jesus." As those verses tell us: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition orvain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of youshould look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
YOUR ATTITUDE SHOULD BE THE SAME AS THAT OF CHRIST JESUS: Who, being in verynature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but madehimself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!" As you read through these verses we challenge you: Do you in humility, "regardone another as more important" than yourself? Is your attitude the same as thatof Christ Jesus who emptied Himself of His rights (despite the fact that He hadevery "right" under heaven to put HIS interests first)? Do you take on the "verynature of a servant" when dealing with your spouse, humbling yourself, yetlifting him/her up (and this, without a complaining word)? "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not knowGod, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He senthis one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This islove: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoningsacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us, we also ought to loveone another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives inus and his love is made complete in us" (1 John 4:7-12). "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has noone than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friendsif you do what I command" (John 15:12-14).
Please consider this a challenge and a reminder to live out your promises toGod and to your spouse -- your "neighbor", and to exhibit the principles forloving that the Bible gives us.
Our prayer for you this week is that you'll love your husband or wife in the same way that Christ showed His love for you. He did not hold back in giving mercy and grace and forgiveness despite the hurt you have caused to Him. Wepray that you'll give up your personal kingdoms for the sake of God's kingdom,so that others will see the love of Christ sincerely displayed through yourwords and your actions. As a result of this, they will have more opportunityto be drawn all the closer to Christ.
"Do your best, Bring out the best in others,Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,tell the problem how great the Lord is!!!Yesterday is gone.Tomorrow is not promised.The question is,What have you done for Christ today?" Our love and prayers are with you as together we work to make our marriage a reflection of the love of God.
