Boundless #4.

Today's challenge was about love and respect.

Ephesians 5:33 says, "However, each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."

The challenge had us read an excerpt out of a book that talked about this verse and what it means to really love and respect each other. He talked about how women are hardwired to love and expect love, and men expect respect. This book and this passage instantly made me think of how the Bible states that men assume leadership. Leadership automatically makes me think of respect; these people should be respectful, and also deserve the utmost respect.

Husbands are called to love their wives like God loved the church, which would be unconditionally - or as close to that as humans can. But, the verse doesn't say to love his wife unconditionally, and the wife to respect him when he earns it. That part of the book really struck me. We (as women) cannot expect all this love from our husbands, but then wait for him to "earn" his respect.

Although it is hard for me to fully grasp this lesson, because I'm not married (obviously). But, I think about the relationships I've seen (parents, friends, etc) and see how that worked. I pray that whenever I do have a relationship or marriage, that it would be full of respect and love - even through the hard times.