It's often easier to see the flaws than the beauty in our partner. The romantic words that were once so easy to say, slowly become rare. In fact, it's not because love is lost, but because we start to stop realising how precious each other's presence is. After love is fought for and celebrated, there is a phase that is often forgotten, which is how it is nurtured, how we perceive it, which ultimately shapes the way we appreciate and be grateful for each other's presence.
In Song of Songs 4:1-15, the groom expresses his admiration in such detail and poetry. He doesn't just say "how beautiful you are," but elaborates with unique metaphors: eyes like doves, hair like a wavy flock of goats, teeth as white as freshly sheared lambs, lips like scarlet ribbons, and temples like pomegranates. These images are not just aesthetics, but a way of looking intently at her beloved. He sees, then reveals. He admires, then declares. The compliment “You are beautiful, my sweet, there is no flaw in you ”, seems to confirm that true love does not focus on flaws to correct, but finds beauty to celebrate. Furthermore, the man not only praises, but also protects. He calls his beloved down from the dangerous mountains, where lions and leopards hide. With his love he wants to bring a sense of security.
In that beauty, there are images of the purity and pleasure of love: like dripping honey, like delicious wine, and like the aroma of perfumed oil. These metaphors illustrate how true love is precious, pure, and worthy of gratitude.
Friends of the Bible, from this we learn that love is not just to be lived, it needs to be cherished and grateful. Appreciating means learning to see your partner with sensitivity and sincerity, because that's where the sense of security and wholeness in the relationship slowly grows. Being grateful means realising that his or her presence is not something ordinary, but a gift that is entrusted. More than that, the way we appreciate and love our partner reflects how we respond to God's love that we first received. Therefore, let our love be expressed through our whole being: through words, attitudes, and actions. There is no need to hesitate to express sincere love.
