Have you ever wished someone could hand you a step-by-step plan for changing your husband—or your wife?
Most of us have tried. We’ve explained, reminded, pointed out problems, offered advice, and perhaps even repeated ourselves a few times. Yet somehow the results are often disappointing.
But what if the very thing we think will produce change is actually making it harder?
In today’s reading, Proverbs paints a vivid picture of one kind of spouse and then contrasts it with another. The difference isn’t personality, intelligence, or even spiritual maturity. It’s something far more practical—and surprisingly powerful.
Could the best way to influence your spouse be the exact opposite of what comes naturally to most of us?
Have you ever heard someone say, “I love him but I’m just not ‘in love’ with him”? Maybe you have said or, at least, thought the same thing. If so, could your ideas about love be colored more by the world than by God’s Word? So, what is biblical love? Is it what greeting card writers or Hollywood movie producers want us to believe, some irresistible attraction, something we fall into and out of? Or is it something else?
Red hot love? Does God really approve of a red-hot sexual relationship within the context of marriage? Judge for yourself as you read the descriptive and suggestive language the lovers used in the Song of Solomon!
And what about pornography … is there a place for it within marriage or outside of it?
It’s relatively easy to be loving when the other person is considerate, appreciative, and treating us the way we want to be treated. But what happens when that person is being selfish, inconsiderate, or unkind?
That’s when we discover whether our definition of love is based primarily on feelings and what we’re getting in return—or on God’s definition of love.
In today’s reading, even Solomon and his bride experienced a lovers’ quarrel in which selfishness got in the way. But the principles involved aren’t just for marriage. They apply to our relationships with parents, children, co-workers, friends, neighbors, extended family, and even strangers.
And 1 Corinthians 13 gives us one of Scripture’s clearest pictures of what that kind of love looks like. Biblical love is patient when we’re tempted to be impatient, kind in the face of unkindness, willing to believe the best, doesn’t allow itself to become provoked, and able to persevere without demanding something in return.
So, can we really love someone that way when he or she isn’t loving us back?
We’ll also look at God’s amazing care for all His creatures, what Proverbs says about our attitude toward the wicked, and I’ll share a FREE printable you can use during your devotional time to help examine how you’re doing in the area of biblical love.
Is there really one verse that could change your marriage forever? Could it change other relationships, as well? I believe there is! First, let me say that knowing this verse won’t change your marriage. Even memorizing this verse...
