“When respect comes before love, every love story becomes a perfect love story.” ~ Unknown Author Respect begins with self-respect (knowing yourself and your values) and then accepting your spouse for who they are.
Apostle Paul writes “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” – Ephesians 5:21
Many are times, we make an error, especially in our African culture, of thinking that submission or respect is for wives to their husbands. On the contrary, if you read carefully what Paul says in the above passage of Scripture is that both wives and husbands should submit one to another – a wife respecting her husband and a husband respecting his wife.
And if you read the following verses: Ephesians 5:22- 24 illustrate or expand the meaning of verse21 in relation to wives and Ephesians 5:25-31 illustrate or expand the meaning of verse21 in relation to husbands.
As we have alluded in the previous talk that life has stages, so, marriage is one stage of life where two people ( a man and a woman ) coming from different backgrounds with different personalities and characters and with different worldviews – fundamental values and principles which shape your world. So, respecting each other in a marriage relationship plays a very significant role in balancing these two worldviews.
Respect teaches you to adopt a certain approach when you communicate with your spouse. In other words, respecting your spouse means making thoughtful statements, knowing when and where you address your spouse – timing and place count a lot when expressing yourself to your spouse. In fact how, where, and when you address your spouse may build or break your spouse – this takes respecting each other.
Respecting each other in a marriage relationship setup yields peace and discipline and love becomes easy to do and love becomes your daily true story. Keep on loving and submitting/respecting one another, you will enjoy your marriage union.
RESPECT.
From Sipho Jeke.
God’s blessings to you all.