Love is more than cuddling by a fireplace. Actually, sometimes it’s the opposite of staying warm and toasty.
I have a vivid memory of my Pop and the daily commitment he had to his family—especially how he served my mother. It’s one way he displayed the Loving aspect of Championship Fathering.
One frosty Virginia Sunday morning, the family car was broken down and my mother needed groceries. Pop said, “Come on, boys. You’re coming with me.” I can still hear his wing-tip shoes crunching on the gravel as he walked along toward the store and we followed him. It was not what I wanted to do that morning, but the experience stuck with me. And that experience still comes to mind when I think of a husband showing love to his bride.
That probably isn’t the classic picture of love between a man and a wife. It’s not like a scene from a romance novel or TV movie—but it’s real. Sometimes love means doing things you don’t feel like doing. It’s walking for groceries on a cold morning; it’s doing the dishes or laundry; it’s getting up at 3 a.m. to feed the new baby; it’s going out of your way because there’s something she needs.Sometimes love feels like drudgery! It’s a daily grind! It’s more about perseverance than it’s about romantic walks and cuddling by the fireplace.
Several authors have correctly pointed out that love is a choice; love is a decision. It’s not a feeling. It isn’t something we do because it makes us feel good, or we think we’re going to be rewarded—if you know what I’m saying. No, love focuses entirely on the other person.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Romance is a good thing—romance brings husbands and wives closer. Flowers, regular date nights, using pet names and all that are a big part of your marriage. But it’s more than that. If your bride is truly a high priority for you, that should be seen in the way you serve her—the hard work, the sacrifices, the inconveniences. Think of her first; tune into her needs; then just follow through.
As that great passage from the Bible says, “[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Written by Carey Casey
