In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.
Summary: Paul gives us husbands a lesson in caring for our wives.
Do you remember Jack LaLanne? If you were born before 1985, there is a chance you do. I remember the days of black and white television when we had a choice of three channels. That is when I first saw Jack on TV. As a small child, I didn’t understand the value of exercise and a good diet. In all fairness, almost nobody did. Jack LaLanne was a trailbreaker in the realm of physical fitness.
Like Paul, Jack had a message for people: Your life will be better if you make good choices. For Paul, the “good choice” is Jesus. The reason we turn to Jesus is for better spiritual health. Jesus tells us to give up sin (repent) and trust in him. For Jack LaLanne, the “good choice” is exercise and diet. Jack’s famous advice about diet was, “if it tastes good, spit it out.”
When Paul talks about husbands loving their bodies, he is not talking about narcissism. The Greek word for “love” that Paul uses is “agapaō.” Agapaō is not an emotional attraction but rather a way of caring for something or someone. When it comes to loving our bodies, agapaō is keeping our hands away from hot stoves, avoiding dangerous animals, and keeping our mouths shut when in the presence of authority.
In short, we do what we have to do to survive. That is agapaō.
When a husband looks at his wife the same way he thinks of his body, he sees an extension of himself. He knows that allowing his wife to suffer is equivalent to hurting himself. Whatever a man would do to protect himself, he also does for his wife.
Wait! You say that not all men are like this? You tell me that some men are selfish and abusive? Yes, sadly, this is true. Some men do stupid things. Men get in fights, they drink to excess, and sometimes they abuse their bodies. This is why we need Jesus!
When a man finds Jesus, he finds something he may never have experienced before; true friendship. Jesus is the kind of friend who is always there, always faithful, always thinking of others first. When we decide to follow Jesus, to accept him as king, we also decide to emulate him. Loving others (agapaō) becomes a way of life. Loving our wives (agapaō) becomes our mission.
Application: Examine your personal relationships. Are they motivated by self-interest or love?
Food for Thought: How does knowing Jesus change the way we look at love?
The world has no understanding of real love. We are told that sex is love, that deep feelings of affection is love, that emotional attachment is love. There is much confusion about love today, but it seems everybody wants it.
The Bible teaches that God is love (1 John 4: 8, 16). In 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 8, it tells us what love is and what it is not. It turns out that real love is seen in action the way we see Jesus living on earth – it is not self seeking, but is patient, kind, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Knowing Jesus will change how we look at love because Jesus loves us the way that we need to be loved and provides an example to follow. We now understand what real love is, have been loved that way to the cross and back, and know what it means to do the same (1 John 4: 10 tells us that we love because He first loved us and demonstrated that love through sacrifice). Now, we just have to do so ourselves. We are commanded to do so (John 13: 34 – 35). We know what it is and how to show it. We are way ahead of people in the world, but only if we follow through (1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 3).
Beautifully said, Rich!
Thank you! 1 Corinthians 13 is the “go to” passage for how to love.
I like Rich’s comments. Very nicely put.
The world is full of songs, poems, articles, and other media about people “looking for love.” People want love, what the world offers is counterfeit. Like giving a hungry child a carrot made of Playdough. No real value, just the “feeling” of satisfaction when consumed. Eventually, the body is destroyed.
How does knowing Jesus change the way we look at love?
If we want to light up a dark room, we need to light a candle. The candle gives off the light. If you saw me running outside with a box trying to “catch” sunlight in the box, and then run inside to “release” it in the room, you might think I was crazy. To me it is a bit the same with love. We can’t go out and put “love” from others in a box to try and light up a dark room (our heart). To light up the dark room, we need a source of light inside the room. Christ in our hearts is a source of light. Also, God created us in His image, and gave us the ability to love, but sin seeks to extinguish it. When we learn to love as God loves, as God is love, as Christ loves, as Christ is love, sin can’t extinguish that. Christ’s candle will keep our candle lit when sin seeks to extinguish it. God’s love is giving, and connecting, and Christ’s love is giving and is connecting. When we love, and give, and connect like Christ, and can connect with others that love, and give, and connect like Christ, it is many candles in the room.
John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Chris,
I like the illustration of trying to “catch light” in a box. Thank you!