REJECT SELFISHNESS, CHOOSE HARMONY

REJECT SELFISHNESS, CHOOSE HARMONY

TWO PEOPLE WHO BEGIN MARRIAGE by trying to go their own selfish, separate ways can never hope to experience the oneness of marriage as God intended.

The prophet Isaiah portrayed the problem accurately more than 2,500 years ago, “All of us like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way” (Is.53:6).

Isaiah didn’t know me, but his analysis sounds eerily familiar.

I want to go my own way, do my own thing.

I’m your basic, self-centered person.

We all instinctively look out for number one.

Selfishness is possibly the most dangerous threat to oneness in marriage.

Both partners enter marriage with all kinds of expectations, many of which go unmet because the other partner either doesn’t know what is expected, is incapable of complying, or is unwilling to meet the expectation.

Caught in this self-centered quagmire, many marriages end up stuck.

In our first years of marriage, I was more than a bit selfish.

I was skilled at looking out for my own needs.

But when I took Barbara as my wife, I assumed a new responsibility–loving Barbara as Christ loved the church.

And that meant rejecting selfishness (repeatedly!) and instead seeking harmony.

Marriage is one of God’s primary tools that He has given the human race to finish the process of our growing up!

NOTE:  This article was taken from Family Life Marriage Bible by Dennis & Barbara Rainey.

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