One of the greatest callings in marriage is to love our spouse the way Christ loves us. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” That single verse captures the heart of the gospel and the foundation for every godly marriage. The love between a husband and wife was never meant to be based on convenience, emotion, or mutual benefit—it was meant to be a living reflection of the love Christ poured out for His people. When a husband and wife learn to see each other through His eyes, everything about their relationship begins to change.

To love as Christ loves means to love sacrificially. Jesus didn’t love the church because she was perfect—He loved her in her brokenness. In the same way, marriage calls us to a love that endures through imperfection. It means serving when we had rather withdrawn, forgiving when we have been hurt, and choosing grace when frustration rises. That kind of love is not natural — it’s supernatural. It’s a daily decision to lean on the Holy Spirit and allow His love to flow through us toward the one we have promised to cherish.

Seeing our spouse as Christ sees them changes how we speak, act, and respond. Christ looks at His people and sees their worth, not their flaws, and their potential, not their past. When we begin to view our husband or wife that way, bitterness loses its grip and appreciation begins to grow. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, we start celebrating what’s right. We begin to pray for one another with compassion, not criticism. And slowly, our home becomes a place where the love of Christ is visible and alive.

The Bible also reminds us that love and respect go hand in hand. Ephesians 5:33 says, “Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” A husband’s Christlike love invites his wife’s respect, and a wife’s gracious respect strengthens her husband’s heart. When both seek to reflect Christ in their attitudes, marriage becomes a picture of the gospel — two imperfect people learning to love with a perfect love.

Ultimately, loving and viewing our spouse as Christ does is not something we can accomplish in our own strength. It takes humility, prayer, and a constant return to the cross. There, we remember how deeply we have been loved, forgiven, and accepted. And when that truth fills our hearts, it overflows into how we treat the one God has joined to us.

So, each day, as husband and wife, let’s ask the Lord to help us see one another through His eyes. Let’s love with patience, forgive with grace, and serve with joy. Because when we do, our marriages will not only grow stronger—they will shine with the beauty of Christ’s love to a world that desperately needs to see it.