True Love Serves

Thursday, April 4, 2013

True Love Serves

1:49 PM | Posted by Scott | Edit Post

Do you want to be a GREAT husband or wife?!?

I love the way Jesus turned the idea of greatness completely upside down:

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Matthew 20:25-28

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Philippians 2:5-7

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

John 13:14-15

Do I really need to say anything more? Is there any better place than your marriage to act on Jesus’ compelling call for us to serve one another?

It's your turn: what do you think it means to serve your husband or wife? How have you served or been served by your spouse this week?

Photo credit: ginosphotos / 123rf.com

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Labels: Authority, Love, Spiritual Life, Submission, The Bridal Paradigm, True Love

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: The word "compelling" is very fitting.

To serve a spouse whether you want to or not, is true serving. In the whole footwashing example that Jesus gave us - often I hear it described as good deeds we do for each other. Although it does capture what we do "for" each other, I think the truest meaning is much deeper and personal - more on a one to one of what we do 'to' each other. When Jesus was finished His example and re-dressed, He didn't ask His apostles, what have I done 'for' you? He asked, what have I done 'TO' you.

To me, the most compelling part is that He washed the feet of Judas - in front of everyone - all the while fully knowing who Judas was. That's the key for serving. It's not only in doing good deeds for our spouse, but in being compelled by God to do good "to" your spouse regardless of the climate of the marriage.

Don't most of us find it easy to serve others when its all gushy, gooey and everything's going our own way. To me, this is akin to what Jesus said about loving those who love you - where's the reward in that. Judas didn't show love to Jesus by turning Him over - yet Jesus washed his feet anyway.; April 5, 2013 at 3:31 PM
Unknown said...: Serving also means accepting the ways in which we are different. http://choosetotrust.com/2013/04/the-accepting-marriage/; April 8, 2013 at 4:16 PM