Jesus had a lot to say about love. He came to show us how to truly love. In John 13:34-35, he has this to say:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.
To love one another was not a new commandment, but to love one another as Jesus loved us takes love to a whole new dimension. Think about how much Jesus loved us—so much that He was willing to die for us.
A marriage is bound together with love. We must pursue love in our relationships. We know that marriage has a level of love that no other relationship should have—sexual love. However, that is not the kind of love that we are speaking of here; husbands and wives should seek to express their love in many ways throughout the day. Romans 12:10 tells us:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
It is good to express love with words; both husbands and wives should be liberal in using the words “I love you” and other cherishing terms. However, love is not just saying words: it is showing love with actions. Paul says to “honor one another above yourselves”. If both husband and wife are honoring the other above self, their love will flourish, and their communication will thrive in a healthy environment.
I Corinthians 13 is the “love chapter” in the Bible. We read in verses 4-5:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
If husbands and wives strive to love in these ways, they will build a strong marriage, and their communication will improve. Paul even goes further in Ephesians 5:25. He tells us:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Paul is placing the highest standard that there is onto the husband’s love for his wife. Imagine what a home would be like if the husband loved his wife the way Christ loved the church, his bride. He would speak gently to her and help her in every way that he could.