How Much Do You REALLY Love Her??

Real men love to be macho. Hence the popularity of the Lord of the Rings movies, the Expendables series, and the umpteen super hero movies that came out this year. We love to envision ourselves as President Marshall fighting off terrorists to protect our families on Air Force One. Our pulse quickens when we watch a movie like Taken, where a father seeks to save his daughter no matter what the personal cost.

But do we love the idea of loving our wives that much more than we actually love our wives? I know that it's frequently true for me. Just like I like the idea of being the next Geddy Lee more than I like the hours of finger wrenching torturous practice that would be required for me to even be considered a competent bass guitar player.

While I'm normally not a big proponent of New Year's resolutions, I'm tossing out a challenge (since we seem to be all about THOSE lately).

THE HUSBAND CHALLENGE

1. Read the Book of Proverbs daily. Whatever day it is, read that chapter. Read it out loud, don't just scan it. It will only take a few minutes, and it's best to do this at the beginning of the day, before chaos erupts and distracts you. If you miss a day, pick back up the following day.

2. During the months of January through March, read the book "The 5 Love Languages: Men's Edition" by Gary Chapman. That's 90 days to read 208 pages (paperback count). 

3. During the months of April through July, read the book "His Needs, Her Needs" by William F. Harley, Jr. This one is 120 days to read 240 pages (hardback count).

4. During the months of August through December, read the book "Love And Respect" by Emerson Eggerichs. This gives you 150 days to read 324 pages (hardback count).

Obviously, if you're a fast reader, you can rip through all three of the books in a few weeks. I'm encouraging you to NOT do that. Read them slowly. Think about what the author's saying. Highlight what hits you hardest. Go back and re-read the chapter when you're done. The goal here is not to check off that you've scanned the pages, but to actually be confronted with how you can love your bride better, and in a way that's more Christ-like. If you're looking for a challenge, loving your wife as much as Jesus loves you is one worthy of taking up. 

PLUS, if you actually learn this stuff and sincerely do it, I promise you that you'll see a change in your marriage. At the very least, I promise you that the Holy Spirit will change how you SEE your marriage, and will change your heart about your bride. I've seen it myself. IN myself, and in other men who have applied these four books to their lives.

PS: If you've already read some or all of these books, read them again. It won't kill ya, I promise. 😏