One Word Summary!

If I had to sum up marriage in a single word, it would be sacrifice! Marriage is all about sacrifice, giving up yourself for the sake, the betterment of your spouse.

In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul likens the church’s relationship to Christ as the Bride and Groom, respectively.  In this passage, verse 25, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

Sacrifice: Christ gave himself up (cf. Phil. 2:5-11).  He did it for the growth and betterment of the church.  The ultimate sacrifice of laying down one’s life is probably not required of most of us, Yet the concept remains the same.

Large or small, sacrifice in the eyes of a wife is always huge.  What would you do for her? The concept of sacrifice is not out of selfish conceit.  The focus of sacrifice is always on the other person.

As an example, I remember back in my freshman year of community college, I had a friend who was still a senior in high school.  I was interning at my church under my youth pastor at the time and I was at church, rather busy.  My friend called me in tears crying, needing someone to talk to.  I dropped what I was doing and talked to her, giving the advice that I could.  Sacrifice, not necessarily the greatest of all examples, but nevertheless it works.  She was very grateful that I was there for her.

It doesn’t matter how large or small you think that it is, what matters is the sacrifice is made for the other person.  As a young man I know most women are always grateful and thankful when you make that sacrifice for them, no matter what it is.  I have never met a woman who wasn’t appreciative of true sacrifice for her.

But it goes much deeper than just sacrifice.  It’s selflessness.  Laying yourself down for the betterment of the other person.  Giving yourself up for her, not just in one thing but in everything.  This, I believe is what marriage looks like.  So much time and writing is spent in love and/or respect and rightfully so, but I think maybe let’s look at another angle.  People these days are telling men to get in tune with their “feminine” side in order to relate to women and to that I say “ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!”  God created us different to complement each other.

Now I understand that marriage books can’t cover everything, otherwise the books would be HUGE and no one would read it.  But the Bible does say that marriage is sacrifice.  And a lot of times, they’ll explain sacrifice in with Love and Respect, which is good, but the time spent on the actual topic is spread throughout the book when I think a whole section could easily be devoted to it.  I think the core of the issue is selflessness.

True love is sacrifice, true sacrifice is selflessness, putting the other person before you.  That’s what I believe marriage is!!!