If marriage consists of a husband loving his wife, and a wife respecting her husband, which is more important, love or respect?
Let's consider it.
If a wife must do all she can to be loved, she must compromise her own beliefs, for sometimes the convictions of a husband and wife come in conflict, and a wife cannot expect her husband to love her if he disagrees with her. If a wife must always make it possible for her husband to love her, she cannot let her convictions come in between them.
If a wife must do all she can to be loved, she must make sure her husband is never displeased with her, for displeasure puts such a damper on love. How can she ensure that her husband is never displeased with her? By always being what he wants her to be.
If a wife must do all she can to be loved, she must always say only the things she know her husband wants to hear, for how can he love her if she says things that upset him, even if the words are meant to help him grow?
If a husband must do all he can to be respected, how can he
love his wife, when everything he does is directed towards suppressing
his wife's personality, which is contrary to what the Bible says about a
husband loving his wife the way he loves himself?
If a wife must do all she can to be loved, how can she respect herself, when everything she does is contrary to who she is, what she believes in, what she holds in high esteem? If a wife cannot respect herself, how can she love herself? If a wife must please and respect her husband in everything she is and does for him to love her, how can she love herself if she never pleases and respects herself? And if a husband cannot love his wife, how can he respect himself, his love for her being the only thing that is required from him in marriage?
When we elevate respect above love, we negate both. Although respect is important, love is what connects us to other humans. God asked us to love our neighbors, for where love is found, so is respect.
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