A Life Worthy

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church–for we are members of his body (Ephesians 5:28-30).

If you have ever seen me with a bowl of ice cream and a novel whilst reclining in my Daddy chair, you will have no doubt that I love myself.

Of course, not all the things that I might classify “love” are in fact healthy for me. Sometimes I pamper myself when I should exercise self-discipline. Sometimes I am overly critical when I should cut myself some slack. Sometimes I eat things that that are undeniably toxic because they taste of yumminess. My self-love is imperfect as I am imperfect, and I have no doubt that my love for Cathy suffers similar flaws.

But

God isn’t calling me to perfection; he is calling me to perspective and persistence. He is calling me to love Cathy as I love myself, and not just in the big, abstract picture but in the little, everyday snapshots.

This runs counter to my flesh, so it’s going to take some time…like the rest of my life.

I’m willing.

Happy Thursday, Beloved

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her… (Ephesians 5:25)

Last night Cathy and I went to a movie. It was one of those “One man must save his family from a host of evil dudes aaaand a burning building” kind of movies. I remember thinking, “Yeah, I’d do that. I’d leap from a crane 100 stories in the air into a flaming skyscraper to save my bride. I’d go mano a mano against a dozen professional bad guys to protect my beloved. I’d give myself up for her…

But will I clean the kitchen? Or fix the broken desk drawer that she’s been asking about for months? Or stay awake to listen when she’s anxious and needs to talk but I need to be up at 0-dark-thirty and I desperately crave sleep…

You see, the chances are that I will not be called upon to literally die for my wife. If the need arises, I think and hope and pray that I will do so without blinking, but let’s face it–those moments are rare in the world of the middle-school teacher. But there’s more to giving yourself than a one-time sacrifice that the world will see and applaud.  Yes, Christ went to the Cross for his Beloved. But before he went to the Cross, he went to his people and lived with them and loved them and served them. Nothing was beneath Jesus as he demonstrated his love. The Creator of Everything washed feet and fed children and cooked meals and…gave himself.

Can you do that today, Husband? Can you give yourself up for your wife in small ways, unseen and unpraised by the world? You stand ready to make the big sacrifice–will you make the small ones just as readily? Because I promise you this–you may not be called on to leap into danger today, but you will be called on to leap into discomfort.

Will you take the leap?

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).

Submission is the essence of relationship.  

I hate that, but there it is.

When we put ourselves first, we aren’t really capable of loving anyone.  Our own desires blind us to what the other person needs and wants. When we learn to submit, to see the other person’s needs and put them ahead of our own, we take a big step in learning to love.  

Jesus himself provided us the perfect example of submission. Without his submission to the Father, we would be forever lost. When we follow his example, we honor him and build godly relationships at the same time.

This verse leads into Paul’s famous section on submission.  Paul is going to talk about husbands and wives, parents and children, even slaves and masters.  No matter what the relationship, the principle is the same.

Put the other first.  

Don’t worry about what you need, or what you think you need, or what the world is screaming that you need.  Trust all that to God, and focus on the other person.

So, who do you need to submit to today?  Gird your loins, Beloved—this oughta be fun!

Happy Friday

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs  (Ephesians 5:19).

I remember a Sci-Fi program once upon a time in which the heroes were trying to communicate with Mysterious Alien Race #5. They had a high-tech translator gadget thingie, but there was a problem. Although our heroes were able to understand words and phrases and even sentences, they still couldn’t make sense of the aliens’ speech. It just seemed like random names and places with no context or connection.

Then cameth the “Ah-ha” moment.

It turned out that Mysterious Alien Race #5 communicated almost entirely in metaphors. Everything they said was tied to shared stories from their cultural history. Just like if I say, “Romeo and Juliet on the balcony,” or “Julius Cesar crossing the Rubicon,” or “Fonzie jumping the shark,” I convey a wealth of meaning to those who know our socio-cultural history. It’s a very efficient way to communicate…if you know the references. Further, speaking like this binds people together

This is what Paul wants us to do. He is calling us to speak to each other in the language of our faith. Let the metaphors of Truth strengthen us and draw us closer together.

It’s like being a Star Wars geek, only it’s the Bible, so it’s better.

Yes it is.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is (Eph. 5:17).

My wife, the Lovely Catherine, tells the story of seeing a church skit once upon a time. The skit involved a group of people trying to figure out God’s will in various difficult situations. From time to time, little notes would waft gently down from the heavens, telling the recipient exactly what God wanted from them.

That would be awesome.

It doesn’t work that way,

but

that would be awesome.

Beloved, may I be so bold as to say that I know God’s will for Monday?

Of course I may.

Relationship

That’s it. God wants to know and be known by the people he has created and fed and clothed and loved and lost and redeemed at the price of his Son. Those who are far from him, he wants to draw close. Those who are near to him, he wants to draw closer still, because unlike your Aunt Susie with the funky perfume, you can never get too close to God.

But Michael, it’s more complicated than that.

No, Beloved…it isn’t. If your actions today bring you and those in your world closer to the Father, then you are in his will. If they pull you farther away from him, you are being foolish.

Don’t be foolish. Mondays are tough enough without that.

Happy Monday, Beloved.