The Power of Love

By: Terry Jamieson

Yes, it’s a song by Huey Lewis and The News, but the bible pointed it out long before that band proclaimed it.  The verse below sets the stage for just how important it is for a man to give himself up.

Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

 A former student of mine asked me about marriage. He was getting ready to ask his girlfriend to marry him and he wanted my opinion. “How do you know you are ready,” he asked. I thought a few moments about his question and I decided to respond by asking a question. “If it was the night before your wedding and your fiancé was in an accident and ended up paralyzed from the neck down for life, never able to have children, unable to function without assistance in the restroom or dinner table, gone is your sex life, gone is your ability to take long walks, and to say that she would need you is a huge understatement, would you follow through with the wedding”? He paused and I said, “You are not ready.” He immediately said to me, “I was thinking about your question coach.” “Yes, I said, and the fact that you had to think about it is why you are not ready.”

You see, marriage is deeper than physical existence and a man must be prepared to serve a woman, love a woman, no matter the circumstances, no matter what is in it for him. That is the essence of the words in Ephesians, the power behind eternal, sacrificial love transcends our physical lives possessing a spiritual element that is only realized when a man gives up his own life for a woman.

I understand that my viewpoint might appear over the top. Perhaps, after all, an entire life of self-sacrifice is not easy, and it would be sensible to suggest that at some point we humans might want to ask, “hey what’s in it for me?” I would, however, point out, there is an immeasurable power in giving away one’s own life for the love of a woman when we consider that is exactly what Christ did for every person alive and that has ever lived.

This is why Ephesians 5:25 is a bolt of lightning in the soul to those men that grasp this loving concept.

Take a close look at our world and you must admit there is a prevailing narcissism that is profoundly toxic. We are a society that complains about everything, is never responsible for anything, and ultimately wants to be seen and heard. When a man solves the mystery of himself, he learns that he is at his best when he is a serving, adoring, selfless Knight to a woman.

Every day of my life when I awaken my first thought is her. I cannot function without knowing she is taken care of. Her every need, physical and spiritual, is my daily goal, and it feels wonderful to be in this role. And she needs me. This is what I live for.

Terry Jamieson is a life-long educator in the classroom and out. He has taught me more about grit and determination than any of my teachers. I am blessed to call him my husband, soulmate, and best friend.

© 2023 – Jill Jamieson – All Rights Reserved.

Check out more of our love story in the book: Secrets of the Little Green-Eyed Girl: Digging up the Roots of Shame and Guilt.