Monday's Marriage Moment -- Are You Just Making Noise?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"Charity begins at home" is a phrase that many of us have heard over the years. Though it is not found in the bible explicitly, I think the principle is found throughout scripture. The word for charity in the bible is translated love, and God talks about loving our spouse, loving our children, and taking care of home from Genesis to Revelation. I think we can all agree that love is foundational, and it certainly needs to be shown to those whom we live with on a daily basis.

Sadly, I think we have missed the mark in this area. We focus on gifts. We focus on talents. We focus on appearances. We focus on social interactions. We focus on what happens outside of the home instead of building a sure foundation at home. We focus on so much, but we are missing out on the main thing - love. We have to get back to loving like Christ loves us! He wants marriage to be an example of His love, and it is up to us to live up to this challenge. Look at a few examples of His love toward those that we might have cut off, condemned, and crucified:

• He didn't condemn the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
• He restored Peter after he denied him (John 21:15-17)
• He took time to minister to the woman who had five husbands and was with another man (John 4:1-25)
• He set free the demoniac (man possessed with demons) and sent him to preach about how he had been set free (Mark 5: 1- 20)
• He healed the woman that was ostricized from society and had been bleeding for 12 years  (Luke 8:43-48)

So, if He can love an adulterer, a fornicator, an outcast, one who betrayed Him, one who was an outcast, and even those who mocked Him and crucified Him why can't we love those who have done much less? Why can't we forgive when He forgave the ones who chanted for Him to be crucified instead of Barabbas? Why are we struggling to love the one we stood at an altar and declared our love for?

Secure your love walk, Beloved! Make the foundation of your home love. So, if your husband offends you this week remember the love of Christ. If your wife says something that upsets you remember the love of Christ. Remember that you are called to love like He loves. His love overlooks faults. His love is not dependent upon reciprocation. His love is not based on emotion. He made a decision to love us all even with our faults and inusfficiencies. Love like Jesus! Otherwise, we are just making noise and accomplishing nothing. Love!