Respect and Love

May 12, 2023

Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. 1 Peter 2:17 NLT

Whether I am a man or a woman, I am “everyone.” Whether I am a man or a woman, if I am a follower of Jesus, I am in “the family of believers.” So are you. That means that respect and love are to characterize our relationships.

True, men are generally known for a high need for respect. But the top need for respect doesn’t negate their need for love. They need love and affection, but if they don’t get respect, if they feel disrespected, love will be hard to believe and receive. If all they needed was respect, they could get it from a boss, friend, or their position in the world. They need love and respect from their main person.

On the other hand, women are known for love as their deepest craving. If they did not also need respect, their craving for love could be satisfied by the unconditional love received from an infant. But many women have beautiful babies who love them unconditionally and deeply, but when they do not get respect from their spouse, it’s not enough. They are unsatisfied and empty without loving respect from a peer, a partner.

Address the specific need for respect in your man and for love in your lady. There have been wonderful books written about his needs and her needs in these areas. But don’t be foolish, assuming that takes care of it. If we will remember that our spouse is a dearly loved and valued child of God, JUST AS WE ARE, we will give both love and respect to them.

If we remember that we are to treat each other as WE wish to be treated, we will shower each other with love and respect.

If we deeply understand Jesus’ call for us to treat one another the same way He has treated us, that He said the way we treat others is the way we actually are treating Him, we will pick up the values of respect and love and give them in volumes to each other.

God never planned for men to be respected for their strength and power but have love tag along behind. He never intended women to be loved in a protective way but not regarded and respected as a coheir of the grace of God.

Respect your spouse. Love your spouse. These are the family values of the Kingdom of God.

• God, help me understand what respect and love look like, and then live in a way that my spouse recognizes and receives them from me.