28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
Paul. Eph. 5:28-29. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is Day 19 of 30 Days to a Better Marriage. To nourish and cherish. If an individual is causing self-harm, how do we respond? What if I just said, ‘that’s normal, don’t worry about him. I’m sure he won’t cut himself too deeply this time. We’ll just patch him up later.’ ‘That’s absurd’ you’d cry. ‘Who would ever treat somebody with that kind of callous—they need help. Do something!’ Ah, you’re right. They would need help. Now, remember, today’s reading—no one ever hated his own flesh? When one spouse—especially the husband—wounds the other, they are literally practicing self-harm. It is just as much a sign personal and relational illness when we wound our spouse. Something is broken within us if we can hurt our spouse, yet dismiss it. We need help—we need to start nourishing, cherishing this lifelong companion. They are an inseparable part of us now, and when we harm them, we harm ourselves, too.
