Loving husbands are a rare breed because it requires 7 dimensions of love (Ephesians 5:25-33). All 7 dimensions are only possible with the work of the Holy Spirit in his life, but the first dimension is particularly difficult. Loving as Christ loves the church means it is UNCONDITIONAL. 

That is further supported by the Greek word for love in Ephesians 5:25: agape, not eros or phileo. Agape is unconditional love.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church" -- Ephesians 5:25

Defining Love

This definition of LOVE is based on the Bible. 

Pursuing the best (highest good) for others;
patiently, kindly, sacrificially, and unconditionally

The Two Ditches

Loving husbands do what God asks. They walk on the “Pursuing Her Best Road.” But, it is very easy to be in the ditch on the right or the ditch on the left of the road.

One ditch, you control her (dominate or manipulate) to “make her change." That is the Power Ditch. Or, you want to get along by “putting up with her.” That means you are tolerating her, just relating to her. You are in the Relate Ditch. Either ditch is off the "Pursuing Her Best Road."

There are numerous problems for relationships when you stay in the ditches, but one of the biggest is when you trade ditches.

The Relate Ditch

Let’s say you are in the Relate Ditch saying, “I’ll love her no matter what she does.” That’s great and what God wants of you. But, if you are in the Relate Ditch, you are saying, “I’m not going to say anything even if she is in blatant sin because when I say something, the relationship becomes miserable. I will just tolerate bad behavior.”

Tolerating or “putting up with” sin is not love. Love pursues her best, which means you accept her where she is and hope, pray, encourage, exhort, and even rebuke her ungodly behavior. If you are living in the Relate Ditch, you will not “exhort and rebuke” because that requires power.

So, you “Trade Ditches” – cross the “Pursuing Her Best Road” into the Power Ditch. For example, you hear what I am saying about not tolerating sin and think, “That’s right, I have been tolerating her sin. What she is doing is wrong, and she keeps doing it!” Then you confront her in a powerful, mean-spirited way – you just jumped from one ditch to the other.

The Power Ditch

Or, you may have been in the Power Ditch, become convicted of it, and cross the road to the Relate Ditch just to get along “at any cost.” That behavior often requires you to give up some good values to relate, tolerate, or get along.

The Power Ditch involves either acting like a dictator or aggressively trying to control her. It can also involve being an "actor" pretending to be nice while trying to manipulate her into changed behavior. You can be very manipulative in the relational ditch, too.

Get On the Road

Both ditches are bad; loving husbands get on the road. Jumping back and forth into the ditches solves nothing. The road combines both Power and Relating – that is where God wants you. Stand on good and Godly values and relate those values patiently, kindly, sacrificially, and unconditionally. 

AND, always remember that changing is HER DECISION, not yours. God has called loving husbands to pursue her best, but her change is between her and God.