[Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of this class were not recorded. Sorry about that! -MRW]
Love unconditionally. It’s a decision, not a reaction.
Matthew 22:39 – “as yourself”Matthew 5:43-48 – “love your enemies”We should treat our spouse at least as good as an enemy!Matthew 7:12 – “the same way you want them to treat you”Ephesians 5:28-30, 33 – “as their own bodies … himself … his own flesh … himself”Ephesians 5:22 – “as to the Lord”Ephesians 5:25-27 – “just as Christ also loved the church”Don’t keep score.“If you find yourself keeping score about some issue with your spouse, that suggests it’s an area of tension in your marriage.” (Gottman and Silver 2015, p. 33)Genesis 1:27 – “in the image of God”I Peter 3:7 – “fellow heir of the grace of life”Titus 2:3-4 – “encourage the young women to love their husbands”Build up the balance in your “Love Bank.”
Luke 6:27-28 – “love … do good … bless … pray for”Romans 13:8-10 – “Love does no wrong”Proverbs 31:10-12 – “She does him good and not evil”Romans 12:10 – “Outdo one another in showing honor”Ephesians 4:31-32 – “bitterness …” vs. “Be kind …”The magic ratio is 5:1 positive to negative interactions. Successful couples manage this even in conflict. When not in conflict, successful couples have a ratio closer to 20:1.Proverbs 31:28-31 – “Her husband … praises her”David and Michal’s marriage deterioratesI Samuel 18:20 – She loved him.I Samuel 18:27-28 – They get married. She still loves him.I Samuel 19:11-12 – She even helps David escape her father’s wrath.She’s later given to another man, then David reclaims her.II Samuel 6:15-16, 20-23 – She views David with contempt.
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