Luke 6:26 “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests!.... Your task is to be true, not popular. (The Message)
It’s the norm of society to expect a broken, blended or BLAH marriage. It is expected that wives will degrade and talk down about their husbands and that husbands will complain and irritate their wives. Isn’t that what the media has flashing in our faces all the time? Think back to the decade of your youth, your parents or grandparents… did television depict the same marriage and family relationships that it does today? Could you ever dream of June Cleaver gossiping with her neighbor about Ward because he came home late and didn’t take out the garbage? Or can you imagine Pa Ingalls talking with Mr. Edwards about all the money Caroline had spent out shopping and how selfish she was?
Long gone are the Leave It To Beaver and Little House on the Prairie Days when marriage was a partnership between people who loved each other. It has been a gradual process but somehow we have arrived at a place where the word “family” has no definition at all. In our workplaces we are encouraged to look out for #1. In our activities it’s all about win, win, win! How do we break that mold and smash the statistics that tell us our marriage will end in divorce, hurt, pain and brokenness? Is that what we have to look forward to??? God has a different plan.
God wants us to keep our priorities straight: FIRST> build a foundation on Him, SECOND> Honor your marriage. Can we truly honor our spouse if we are looking out for ourselves all the time? Can we honor our family if we make our marriage a competition? To show honor we can’t always be on the defensive and looking to blame. We have to break through the boundaries that others have set before us and be the difference. Instead of allowing your marriage to be one of the statistics, why not smash those statistics and rise above, be the example. It won’t be easy and you can’t do it alone because you have attacks coming at your marriage from all sides. When you feel tempted to share a not so flattering story about your husband or wife….Stop! When you want to complain and fit in with the others who are bashing…Don’t! It will take a conscious effort to smash those stereotypes but your family is worth fighting for. God knows the plans He has for you so get ready, society is watching. What will they see in your marriage? What is the difference?
Prayer Points:
· THINK about a marriage or family you admire – ask God to show you why
· PRAY that God will show you how to honor your spouse more
· WATCH for times you can brag on your spouse or family to others publically
· THANK God for this opportunity to show society something different
You are God's Best!
Pastor Don Gibson
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