Manhood: Although Not Because

Him: There are many things in this world that I enjoy and some of those things I can even say that I love. I love them all for different reasons- the power of a fast car, the adrenaline of riding single track, the smell of my well worn baseball mitt. I love these because of an intrinsic value that each possess. Take away the power, adrenaline and smell and the car is just ordinary, the ride becomes boring and the mitt is just used up old sporting equipment. 

This is how, or maybe I should say why, we love most things- because. I love my wife this way. I love her because she’s so great to me, my best friend (and has been for 16 years), a terrific mother, beautiful, patient, caring... I could go on. But if all I do is love her because, what happens when she’s not so great to me, when her beauty fades, when she’s impatient? I’ll still love her, but I’ll love her although- although she doesn’t feel like my best friend, although she makes mistakes as a wife and mother, although she’s imperfect.

You see, most of the time my wife is great but there are times when she’s not. And I’ve made a commitment to her; you know the one- to love and to cherish, richer, poorer... till death parts us. So I choose to love her not because she cares for me but although in her moments of pain, weakness, misunderstanding, anger, frustration, you name it, I’m committed to her. She and I are one- two halves of a whole- a team.

Being loved although takes the pressure off to live up to expectations all the time. We’re all human and we’ll all make mistakes. Imagine the freedom you’d feel if you knew that no matter how you fail, you would still be loved. This is the freedom we are able to experience through Christ because of what He’s done for us. My goal is that, following His example, my wife and girls will experience this from me. Each day I wake up and strive to make a choice to love them although not because.