Husband Servant King

Just like the winter doesn't only consist of snowy weather, I'm going through a season that has a similar climate with a variety of weather conditions.  I've gone back a little on the wisdom that I've learned about how to act during seasons like this; which is to talk a little less...but I'm still removing layers and learning....which is a good thing.  Yesterday I was teaching a class on the relationship between hurt and grace.  And while discussing the humility needed to help us show grace to others, I began to process the type of love that's required for that as well.  And obviously, during that conversation the Holy Spirit began to deal with me about my own levels of humility, love, and grace.  And during that in-pouring I began to realize how important it is to love like Joseph.

I don't agree with the general perspective concerning the connection between Boaz, Ruth, and love; as often commented on when speaking about the Book of Ruth.  To me, the entire situation is a property acquisition, won by a wealthy man and orchestrated by a hard-working woman and her crafty mother-in-law, that gives insight on the family of King David.  But Boaz loving Ruth isn't even hinted in the book.  And frankly, what Ruth did was considered an atrocity then and still would be even in today's ultra-liberal America.  So while I believe the story is good to highlight many things, agape, unconditional love isn't one of them.  I tend to believe Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, is the prototype of what godly love is from a husband to a wife.

Consider being a man whose reputation is to usually do the right, moral thing.  You live in a relatively small community and have good relationships with most people.  You are soon to be married, and you're anticipating taking your bride and all of the celebration that comes with getting married.  And while you're sitting on ice your fiance turns up pregnant.  Yeah, later on an angel comes in a dream to tell you that's God's baby, but....it's an angel...in a dream...telling you that's God's baby.  How do you treat your supposedly-virgin fiance then?  What do you say to her?  How do you hold, help and love her daily for nine months?  Or do you even stay around?  To say Joseph treated Mary with respect is an understatement; but to say he loved her in a fashion like his future Son Jesus would demonstrate is accurate.  That stuff seems to me to be incredibly difficult.  And that type of selfless, humble, and patient love is a type I cannot confidently say I have.  I'm not too proud about that, but I'm glad I was able to see a benchmark of what it looks like, and prepare to operate like that.

But I guess this is what faith is all about.  Having the faith to know you will understand how to better love your spouse...and then being confident that you can do it.  Having the faith to implement patience and eliminate subtle distractions that allow the enemy to disrupt a godly union.  Having the faith to know that no matter how much I love my wife, the God that loves her more will sow in me what I need to bring the love He wants to see out of me, for her.  And having the faith to love completely and truly unconditionally.

Husbands love your wife like Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25).  Well, that can be a pretty tall order considering most of us can't even love our wives like Joseph loved Mary.  But we can, like Joseph, completely trust The Lord God, and allow His love to be transmitted through us to our wives.    What a season...

Peace