Read 1 Peter 4:8

The night of our rehearsal dinner my parents gave my soon to be wife and me a plant. My dad spoke about the importance of caring for, watering, feeding, and nurturing the plant. Doing so would not only keep the plant alive, but allow it to reach its full potential and display its beauty. He reminded us that our marriage would require the same attention and intentional nurturing for it to blossom into what God intended.

After the wedding and honeymoon, the plant eventually made it home with us to rest on our small porch. We did pretty well for a few weeks, but eventually life got in the way, and we didn’t water it, we didn’t feed it, and we didn’t assure it was getting the proper amount of sun. And, of course, the plant died.

In 1 Peter 4:8 we are reminded to “love each other deeply, because love covers a multiple of sins.” Love is much more than a feeling, emotion, or one single action. Love is expressed in many different ways, especially in a marriage. It isn’t enough for me to tell my wife I love her, or tell others that I love her. I must make her FEEL loved. I must speak HER “love language.” And most of all, I must love her as Christ loves His church. This will allow our marriage to grow into what God fully intends.