In this way husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it, as the Christ also does the congregation.

Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29,

What Does It Mean to Cherish Your Wife?

10. How can a husband cherish his wife?

¹⁰ If you cherish your wife, you take good care of her because you love her. There are several ways in which you can do this. First, spend adequate time with your mate. If you neglect your wife in this regard, her love for you may grow cold. Consider, too, that what you think your wife needs in the way of time and attention may not be what she feels she needs. It is not simply a matter of saying that you cherish your spouse. Your wife must feel cherished. Paul wrote: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.” (1 Corinthians 10:24) As a loving husband, you want to make sure that you understand the actual needs of your wife.​—Philippians 2:4.

11. How is a husband’s relationship with God and the congregation affected by the way he treats his wife?

¹¹ Another way to show that you cherish your wife is by treating her tenderly, both in speech and in action. (Proverbs 12:18) Paul wrote to the Colossians: “You husbands, keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them.” (Colossians 3:19) According to one reference work, the latter part of Paul’s statement may be rendered idiomatically as “do not treat her like a maid” or “do not make a slave of her.” A husband who is a tyrant​—either in private or in public—​is certainly not showing that he cherishes his wife. By treating his wife harshly, he could affect his relationship with God. The apostle Peter wrote to husbands: “Continue dwelling in like manner with [your wives] according to knowledge, assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one, since you are also heirs with them of the undeserved favor of life, in order for your prayers not to be hindered.”c​—1 Peter 3:7.

12. What can a Christian husband learn from the way Jesus treated the Christian congregation?

¹² Never take the love of your wife for granted. Reassure her of your continuing love. Jesus set an example for Christian husbands in the way he treated the Christian congregation. He was gentle, kind, and forgiving​—even when his followers repeatedly manifested negative traits. Jesus could therefore say to others: “Come to me, . . . for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28, 29) In imitation of Jesus, a Christian husband treats his wife in the same way that Jesus treated the congregation. A man who truly cherishes his wife, showing this in word and deed, will be a source of genuine refreshment to her.