Giving Up Our Lives

Read: 1 John 3:16

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So, we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters”

Before my wife and I got married, I thought that every morning when the sun rises, everybody gets up. But after we were married, I found out that my wife did not do mornings. It did not take me long not to like her, and it did not take her long not to like me. For several years we struggled, greatly disappointed in our marriage.

What finally turned our marriage around? The profound discovery that it was not my job to demand that she meet my expectations. My job was to give away my life to make her life easier and more meaningful. My model? Christ himself, who gave away his life for our benefit. The apostle John reminds us that Christ sacrifice exemplifies genuine love. Because of his sacrifice, we should also give up our lives for others – starting with our spouse.

In thousand years, I would never have come up with that idea. But then, God’s way are not our ways. (See Isaiah 55:8-9) In God’s way of doing things, the road to greatness lies in serving others. What better place to start than in your own marriage? My spouse is my first responsibility. When I choose to serve God, He says “Lets’start with your spouse. Do something good for your spouse today. Let love begets love. That is God’s way. (excerpt from “The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional” by Gary Chapman)