Interactions between a husband and wife

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

What does it mean to be kind? Some synonyms are affectionate, loving, generous, sympathetic, caring, nice, benevolent, considerate to name a few.

What does it mean to be tenderhearted? easily moved to love, pity, or sorrow, compassionate, kind, gentle, tender

What does it mean to be forgiving? merciful, lenient, pardoning, forbearing, sympathetic

When we look back at Ephesians 4:32 and really examine this verse, first we see the conjunction and which tells us that something else goes with this verse. If we look at the verse before this one we will find these words: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Ephesians 4:31). This verse tells us to put all bitterness (resentment, hostility, sourness) away. Meaning don't indulge in bitterness. Don't allow bitterness to reside in you or your heart. Don't be bitter. It also says to put away malice (hatred, spite, meanness), anger (irritation, annoyance, fury), clamor [clamour] (shout, scream, yell), and evil speaking (wickedness, sin, immorality). When you look at the real meaning of these words and really understand what it is God is saying, you begin you understand verse 32 a little better. This is also a command. God is not asking us to do this, He is telling us to do it. He is telling us to put away evil things and be kind. He is telling us to be loving to one another. What is our premise for wanting to do these things? God, Himself. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

1 John 4:8 says: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

So if we put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking; we can be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving toward one another. But the verse doesn't end there-it ends with what God has already done for us and continues to do for us. So if we are in need of kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness, why can't we give these things to our spouses?

Think about it. Ask God to help you love your spouse the way He loves your spouse. And then BE kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. This is a command!