Cherish by Gary Thomas
Week 9: Chapter 8 — Cherishing Your Spouse Through Sacrifice
Read Chapter 8 of Cherish by Gary Thomas. Key passages: Ephesians 5:25; John 15:13; Philippians 2:3–4.
Previewing Week 9 of Cherish
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
No discussion of cherishing would be complete without a reckoning with sacrifice — the willingness to give up something of value for the sake of the one you cherish.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Thomas draws the direct line between cherishing and sacrifice: you cannot truly cherish without willingness to sacrifice. Do you agree? Can you think of a relationship in which someone was 'cherished' without any self-giving on the part of the one doing the cherishing?
2.He uses Ephesians 5:25 — 'Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' — as the defining standard for sacrificial cherishing. What did Christ's sacrifice actually cost him? And what does that standard call husbands (and wives) to consider giving up?
3.Thomas is careful to distinguish sacrificial love from martyrdom or enabling — giving up things for your spouse's genuine benefit, not simply to avoid conflict or earn their approval. Where is that line, and how do you know when 'sacrifice' has drifted into unhealthy territory?
a.What is a sacrifice you have genuinely made for your spouse recently?
b.What is something you are being called to sacrifice that you have been reluctant to give up?