1 of 1

Key Bible Verse: Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2) Bonus Reading: Ephesians 5:25

Many years ago I watched journalist John Stossel do a TV segment called Love, Lust, and Marriage. He interviewed a couple who'd been married more than 50 years and asked them about their relationship and what it takes to have a long-lasting marriage.

The wife said, "Well, you know, I learned that I need everything to be spotless."

The husband said, "And I'm a spotter."

They both just had to get used to it.

I thought, That's it. That's the core of grace in marriage.

What did each of them have to go through to understand that? First, they both had to accept who they are. She had to accept that she required things to be spotless. He had to accept that he makes messes.

She had to learn, "He's not coming behind me making messes everywhere because he doesn't love or respect me." She couldn't vilify him. He's a spotter. That's what he does.

He had to learn, "She's not coming behind me cleaning up all the time because she hates me. She comes behind me cleaning up all the time because she requires life to be spotless. That's just who she is."

—Michael Sytsma in Marriage Partnership

My Response: One irritating habit or personality trait about my spouse that I simply need to learn to accept is …

Thought to Apply: Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do. It's the way you love your partner every day. —Barbara De Angelis (writer)

Adapted from our sister publication Marriage Partnership (Fall/2008) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced. To read the entire article upon which this week's devotionals are based, go to intimatemarriage.org/grace.

Copyright © 2010 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

Dear heavenly Father, your grace is great! Without it I am forever lost. Empower me to extend grace to my wife because you have extended immeasurable grace to me.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help