Care That Accepts a Cost

Care is easy to admire when somebody else is doing the inconvenient part. In a home, love eventually asks for time, attention, or comfort we would rather keep. The need arrives on an ordinary evening, not after we have arranged a suitable moment.

Jesus is the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. His death is unique. He bore our sins, and no act of service between spouses can add to that saving work. We first receive His grace before trying to speak about His example.

Because Christ has loved us, sacrificial care should not seem foreign to Christian marriage. It may involve listening when tired, taking responsibility during illness, or releasing a preference so a real need can be met.

Such care must not be twisted into a demand that a spouse accept abuse. Christ's love is not permission for another person's cruelty. Offer willing service that genuinely helps, with truth and appropriate boundaries. Love is concerned with the good of the person, not simply with keeping an arrangement comfortable.