My wife and I have been married for 11 years and it’s been up, and down, traumatic, and glorious all at the same time. I think all marriages go through certain things. I am not a marriage expert but I have seen the Notebook three times, which makes me extremely close to being one, don’t you think? So, let’s dive right into five things I’ve learned about marriage:
- We will start with something easy so you can get an understanding of how this is going to go. Fellas, when your wife says, “Just do what you want”, DO NOT under any circumstances do what you want. This is a trick that has been performed in many marriages across many centuries. Don’t be selfish. Consider your wife in the things that you do. Include her in whatever you are going to do, even if you know she doesn’t like it. I Corinthians 10:24 says “Let no one seek his own good but the good of his wife.” I don’t know if it is all right to do it, but I substituted the wife for the neighbor. Well if you think you can do that for your neighbor who lives next door, you really should do it for your wife who lives with you.
- We are different. For example, what we find beautiful differs tremendously. Hers: sunsets, children playing carefree, paintings. Mine: Appetizers…and that’s it. I mean come on, someone thought, “Hey let’s pregame this food with more food”, and I think that’s a beautiful thing. Romans 12:6 says we have different gifts. We should embrace what each other brings to the table, so we can grow and learn together. We should nurture those gifts and strive to bring out the best in each other.
- We are a team. We work together just like the citizens of this great country. Remember there is no “I” or “me” in America. I didn’t even say this out loud and my wife from upstairs just yelled down to me, “There is literally an I and me in America”. I don’t know how she does it. I know you are not supposed to swear, but I swear she is a wizard. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens his wife.” I substituted wife here again…by the way, in case you didn’t pick up on that. What the proverb means is that you help each other be the best they can be, even if you rub each other the wrong way sometimes.
- Marriage is not a competition. I mean, sure you face off while giving vows like 2 UFC fighters at the weigh-in press conference, but remember you are a team (We just went over this in point number 3). My wife and I often laugh about how competitive we are. But I laugh more, just for the record. (In your face…wife!!!) Seriously though, Philippians 2:3-4 talks about not looking after your own interests but to the interests of each other. It is amazing how much you can achieve when you work together. Trust me. I am married to a wizard.
- The simple ABC’s of marriage: Always Be Clear. But most importantly listen to each other. This is a constant battle in my house. She frowns and says, “You weren’t even listening, were you?” And I am thinking to myself, “What a weird way to start a conversation?!?” You are fighting a losing battle if you cannot even communicate with one another. Matthew 27:19 says, “When Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat HIS WIFE said, “Don’t have anything to do with this innocent man”. If you are reading this and you do not know how the story goes *spoiler alert* He did NOT listen to her. He could have avoided the worst tragedy in the history of the world if he had. That is how important it is to listen to your spouse. It is vital to a healthy marriage.
Like I said I am not an expert. These are just some of the issues my wife and I deal with on a regular basis. We fight. We pray. We love. We forgive. We have tender moments where I come up behind her while she is cooking and hug her and kiss her on her neck. I tuck her hair behind her ear and lean in to whisper. Then we have contentious moments where I lean and whisper, “Eat all of the double stuffed Oreos again and we are done!” But that is what makes a great marriage. You get to try again tomorrow and God will be with you every step of the way.
Prescott Williamson is a Bible-believing Christian. He is a husband, a father, and someone who believes that there is a little humor to be found in whatever situation God sends your way. He was born in the small islands of the Bahamas but now lives in the Suburbs of Fort Worth Texas, which is basically the same thing. He enjoys TV, reading, blogging and serving in his church (especially on the days they serve donuts). You can see what I have been thinking about lately on my blog www.prescottascoolbreeze.com.
Some good basic principles here and need to be taken to heart.
Thanks for reading and getting something out of it.
I agree with you on this Larry. Prescott provides solid principles for us men to follow in our marriages.
Solid advice! I’ve only been married three years but I’ve come to realize all of these as absolutely necessary for a healthy marriage. Bless you!
I tried to make them as practical as possible while reasonable to achieve. Thanks for reading and here’s to a long and God filled marriage.
Thanks Andrew for reading our post.