03/25/17 IT TAKES GRACE

03/25/17 IT TAKES GRACE

I recently posted an article that a friend had posted. It was a wife's realization that she was treating her husband in an improper way. That article aligns with some thoughts I have had from time to time, but have not posted, which I am sharing now.

Have you ever noticed that girls like bad boys. It is probably safe to say that women like bad men. (TRUST ME, MY THOUGHTS ALL FIT TOGETHER). For instance, I remember that there were girls in high school that liked the rougher, cruder, lower life types. The guys were even hoodlums. I never understood it. As I got older I saw that the same thing was true. Even today it is not unusual to hear about popular girls who choose boyfriends who are not only crude, lawless, drug users, and anti-social, they are also abusers who physically assault these girls. The girls seem to be under some spell. They can't break loose. (trust me, the point is coming).

When women are married to hooligans they suffer various forms of mistreatment. These inconsiderate, self oriented men seem to have their wives under a spell. In fact, I have noticed that the mean spirited and abusive parent often gets the same kind of loyalty from their intimidated children, while loving, caring, sensitive and self sacrificing husbands and fathers are not given the honor, respect and obedience that they deserve. There you have it.

People tend to walk over the spouse or parent who is kind and self effacing. Honor and submission are given to the ruffian, while the gentle person is treated callously.

It takes grace to be married to anyone, because marriage is a matter of self denial. It takes grace for a Christian woman (or man) to properly relate to an abusive spouse. But it also takes grace for a Christian to not take advantage of a sweet spirited, loving spouse. It is easy to take advantage of a considerate person. It is easy to misinterpret kindness and an easy going behavior as weakness or stupidity. This is true in social affairs. The world does not properly respect Christ followers because Christians do not demand respect. The servant mind-set of a believer makes him an easy target for those who want to throw their weight around.

Of course, the Scriptures direct us in the way the husband or wife should be, and the Holy Spirit will lead those who are sensitive to His leading. But the counsel of the word and the leading of the Holy Spirit are not enough to keep a person committed to loving, honoring and submitting to a spouse in a marriage. It takes the loving, faithful submission and cooperation of the husband or wife.

Christians need to guard their marriage relationships vigorously. Satan wants to destroy your marriage (check out the broken homes today) and if he cannot obliterate it, he will suck out as much of the love, joy, excitement and pleasure as he can.