Mary Ainsworth, a Canadian researcher, studied children. She and other colleagues observed infants interacting with their mothers. The researchers learned a great deal about love and how two individuals attach. Mary Ainsworth observed behaviors used in developing an attachment bond.

Defining love is difficult. Observing behaviors is easier.

Here are the four behaviors that outline a mother-child bond:

1. The child monitors and maintains emotional and physical closeness with his mother.
2. The child reaches out for his mother when he is unsure, upset, or feeling down.
3. The child misses his mother when they are apart.
4. The child counts on his mother to be there when he goes out into the world and explores.

These skills were discovered watching children interact with their mothers. Today, they form the basis of a theory called Attachment Theory. That theory is a foundation for marriage counseling.

Go back and reread them. Think about your relationship with your spouse.

Loving one another is critical to emotional survival. And it’s also critical to spiritual and physical survival. We are made for love, by love, and to love.

PRAYER

Father, help me to grow in love. Thank you that you show me love in the Father-Son relationship (You and Jesus). Thank you for knowing, forgiving, and loving me. Help me love like you do. Amen.

BIBLE

Read these related Bible passages:

• The man leaves and cleaves to his wife. – Genesis 2:24 (WYC)
• God is love – 1 John 4:16 (NASB)
• God created man in his own image. (Lover) – Genesis 1:27 (NCV)
• The Father loves the son. – John 5:20 (EASY)