- Failure to compromise…
- Finger pointing…
- Failing to consider a balanced approach…
- Refusal to consider any measures that will resolve this problem…
These are all actions and phrases that I have seen in the works over the last few days as our nation followed the media through to the formal, yet largely inevitable, conclusion that the bipartisan budget deficit super committee would not come up with a reasonable resolution to reduce the national debt forcing $1.2T worth of automatic spending cuts. Does that sound familiar?
Yes, it sounds like my conversation with my wife last night:
- Failure to compromise. Well, wasn’t it me who brought up the issue in the first place? Why should I be looking to compromise?
- Finger pointing. Listen, I tried not to, but I mean come on, I had to defend my point, right?
- Failing to consider a balanced approach. Come on, balance is overrated when you’re in the heat of the battle.
- Refusal to consider any measures that will resolve this problem. See above excuses.
Yes, after hearing a wonderful message last night about God showing David his self-righteousness just as much as his unrighteousness (2 Samuel 11-12), my first thoughts this morning surrounding the super committee were stupor, appall, and dismay. Fortunately, it didn’t take Nathan the prophet to bring me along to the conclusion that I was that budget super committee and that I was being self-righteous.
Yes, at the end of our marital “discussion” last night, I realized that this was a bigger deal to Lindley than to me, and that I should have just let it go. So, I tried. Clearly, this was too little too late. So, I have to ask myself, what does the Lord require of me?
- Micah 6:8: He has told you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness [also translated mercy], and to walk humbly with your God?
- Romans 2:5: But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. [I really just stumbled on that one, but the “hard and penitent heart” piece jumped out at me.]
- Romans 15:2-3: Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."
- Ephesians 5:2: And walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- Ephesians 5:25, 33: Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…. However, let each one of you love his wife as he loves himself, and let the wife see that she respects the husband.
So, now, let’s try our list just one more time:
- Failure to compromise. IT’S NOT AT ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE; “Love kindness;” give yourself up for her; cool your hard and impenitent heart; do not please yourself, for Christ did not please himself.
- Finger pointing. Let each of us build up his neighbor; walk in love as Christ loved us; are you giving yourself up for her, or are you making sure she gets the point?
- Failing to consider a balanced approach. Soften your hard heart; Remember Christ died for us because we were wrong, we are wrong and we will be wrong.
- Refusal to consider any measures that will resolve this problem. The perceived problem isn’t the problem. Are you loving your wife as you love yourself and are you giving yourself up for her?
Let me state it another way. Nowhere in the scriptures did I see any reason not to stop, turn and repent of my ugly attitude the moment I saw that it was bothering my wife. (Please forgive the double negative). So, with my impenitent heart, I need to cry to the Lord to change me, forgive me, and help me to live in the Spirit and to love my wife as God intended it.
