I Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind.
How do we get the type of love in I Corinthians 13? I believe this type of love is built over years and years of dedication to each other, hard work and laying one brick at a time. Marriage is like building a house. After the foundation has been set, the framing completed along with the plumbing, electricity, and the walls, you then must brick it up. The bricks are the key in building a great looking house, and the bricks make the house stronger and protect it from the outside elements. In this metaphor the bricks are our words and how we communicate to our spouse.
So many times we work really hard on laying our foundation and the actual building of our house, but we don’t really pay close attention to the words that we speak to our husband on a daily basis. We “think”, I should be honest and be able to say what I want to say to my husband. That is true, but we should always measure our words and the effects and consequences of those words. Just because you are married and have a close relationship to your husband does not mean you can say whatever you want and it not have any consequences.
Think about it this way, with every kind, loving, compassionate word that comes out of your mouth you are laying a brick on the frame of your marriage. Likewise, with every unkind, sarcastic, cutting word you say, you are taking out a brick in your house. At the end of your marriage, you obviously want a house fully bricked to strengthen your house from all the elements that hit against it over time.
Having children is wonderful, but they also bring stress to a marriage. When you are a parent, you are tired, being pulled in a million directions and you are worn down. Keep in mind however, that even though you are exhausted, your words still hurt or build the other person up and you need to be mindful of the words that come out of your mouth especially towards your husband.
Prayer
Father, Thank you for my husband. God give me YOUR love for him. I cannot love unconditionally like you, but I know you can. I submit my life to you! I want to love the way you love. Help me build my house well, one brick at a time.
