Husbands, Love (and Listen to) Your Wives

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ephesians 5:25

Tim & Franicia on their wedding day.

My Dad is the master (or at least he was when I was growing up) at spotting new rattles and squeaks in our family's cars. He performed all of the maintenance on our cars, so he was invested heavily in keeping them running well.

Eagle Eyes Ears

Like my Dad, I too have an ear for rattles and squeaks. Driving down the road, I can hear new ones even if the radio is on, all the children are talking, and all the existing rattles and squeaks are rattling and squeaking.

I am ashamed to say, though, that I don't always have the same attentiveness when the most precious person in the world to me, Franicia, is talking to me. Shame on me. Sadly, I'm not alone, though.

I say I love my wife. And I do! I love her more today than I loved her when I asked her to marry me almost 13 years ago. I want that love to grow too — not only because it's pleasant to be happily married, but also because God commands that all husbands love their wives.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The saying goes, “actions speak louder than words.” Do you, husbands, show your wife that you're more attentive to the things your car is telling you through noises and rattles than the things she is plainly telling you? Does your wife know that you treasure her thoughts and her words?

Dads, are you showing your children that you pay closer attention to a material possession than you do to them? You say you love them, but do you show them through your actions that you love them?

Am I alone in this? How have you been learning the lesson to hang on the words of your loved ones and show them love through action not just words?