Love does not insist on its own way.
—1 Corinthians 13:5
Early in their marriage, Garvin wondered how to gauge his wife’s preferences. Was it okay for him to play golf with his friends on Saturdays, or did she want him to reserve the weekends for her?
Instead of taking a stab in the dark, he decided to ask her. She smiled, hugged him, and said, “I’m okay with either. It just makes me happy that you think of me and want to please me.”
There’s a lesson in that for husbands and wives.
In fact, for everyone: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil 2:4).
“Love does not insist on its own way” (1 Cor 13:5). Or, as The Voice has it: “it’s not self-absorbed.” Or, The Message: “Isn’t always ‘me first.’”
Love expresses itself in
selflessness, not selfishness.