To love as God loves takes a sacrificial attitude. We sacrifice our own desires for the sake of others.
Jesus said the attitude of giving brings the real blessings in life. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
We do not need scientific research to validate what God says in His Word, but it is great fun to watch the rest of the world discover what we already know.
Scott Stanley and others have researched the topic of sacrifice in relationships. Some of what they have found:
"When defined in healthy ways, there are a number of studies that show that sacrifice for one’s partner and relationship is associated with all sorts of good things in a relationship—especially in marriage."
“Giving is a good sign in a potential partner because it is connected to things that build a strong foundation in relationships. Our take on some of the findings in our research and that of others is that sacrifice is one of the ways that partners send signals to each other about the nature of the commitment between the partners.”
Jesus said that it is better to give than to get because we derive greater joy from it .... one of those great paradoxes of life! We spend most of our life trying to get satisfaction, fulfillment, fun, and materials "things," so that we can be happy. But the feeling never lasts. But when we spend our time giving from what God has given us, we have a joy that will last.
John Piper says, "The biblical mandate to husbands and wives is to seek your own joy in the joy of your spouse."
