One of God’s most powerful teachings to us as husbands is to love our wives in the way that Jesus loved his church:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body… However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-30, 33)

Loving our wives in a godly way not only blesses our wives, but our children as well! As our children see us selflessly loving their mothers, they will have greater happiness, peace, and confidence, assured that that their mom and dad have a warm, happy marriage that will last forever. The more our kids see us loving our wives, the more loving they themselves will become.

How can you show your love to your wife in your children’s presence? Here are some suggestions:

  • Let your kids see you showing physical affection to your wife: Smile at her, hug her, hold her hands, and give her some kisses.
  • Express your love to your wife in words, letting your kids hear you.
  • Tell your kids how deeply you love their mom, and why.
  • Respect your wife. Tell your kids why you admire their mother:

Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect … (1 Peter 3:7 emphasis added)

As much as we seek to show our wives love and respect, we will all fall short at times. But we can take great comfort from this passage:

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

When we sin, love paves the way for forgiveness and healing. It motivates us to apologize and set things right. Our humility comforts our wife and children, and even teaches our kids to humbly repent and apologize when they sin against others. When we have great love as the foundation of our families, we are able to enjoy an environment of swift forgiveness and change.

As a final thought, husbands, remember this: After we have children, it can be tempting to become distracted from the love and closeness we had with our wives in our early marriage. Our marriage may begin to revolve around the children, and when this happens, our marriage suffers neglect. Let’s not allow this to happen! Keep your marriage as a priority. Remain close to your wife emotionally—and let your kids observe your affection and commitment to each other! Loving your wife with all your heart is one of the best ways you can love your children! A strong marriage will be the foundation of a loving family, a place where your children can feel safe and loved themselves.

Shared from Sam Laing’s Warrior for the Lord.