OK, so many of you are too young to remember the irreverent sitcom All In The Family. The main protagonist was a politically incorrect bully and snob named Archie Bunker. Here is a snapshot of this guy. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK13a1yryVg) He was such a jerk.
When I married the first time, Archie is hI’ll admit I was looking for a good woman who would serve me. That’s what I thought a successful marriage was: finding someone to serve you. That’s because I was a chauvinist. I thought men were better than women.
Needless to say, the idea of me serving my wife was the farthest thing from my mind. It was a shock to me that she would even expect me to do anything.
In John 13, Jesus is in the remaining hours before being crucified. He is eating a meal with His disciples. The disciples were having a conversation about which one of them was the greatest—they never were the sharpest knives in the drawer—when Jesus made an example of washing their feet.
Remember, these guys spent all day wearing sandals on dusty roads. Their feet were filthy. Washing someone’s foot was a demeaning task, detestable to them. Somebody else should do it…not them.
Jesus told them the servant was the greatest of all. That His followers were to be servants. They were stunned by both His example and His message.
You can become a better spouse in just a few short weeks.
As followers of Christ, around friends, among strangers, and especially within our marriages, you are to be servants. You are to put others’ needs ahead of our own.
A husband and wife who constantly serve one another have discovered the secret of a great marriage. It took me a loooooong time to learn that basic truth. I wish I’d been a faster study.
Why is serving each other so important?
Equality. A person who refuses to serve his or her spouse is either dominating the relationship or has checked out emotionally. Men and women are absolutely equal. Serving your spouse—doing things in his or her interest, not yours—tells them “I am not better than you.”
Humility. We’re naturally prideful. Both men and women have pride issues in their lives. You might be given tasks or asked to do things and you may be tempted to think, “I’m too good for that.” But that’s an unhealthy attitude in marriage. Helping is about being involved with even the most insignificant details of each other’s days.
Do the dishes. Wash the car. Fold clothes. Clean toilets. Give a foot rub. Nothing is beneath you if it benefits your spouse—even if you’re wealthy. One of the worst marriages I’ve ever seen was a wealthy couple who wouldn’t do anything for each other. Why? Because they always hired people to do any work for them. Look for ways to provide your spouse a Random Act of Kindness…TODAY, and everyday.
Intimacy. In Matthew 6, Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Where you invest yourself, that’s where your passion will be. If you’re pouring all your time and abilities into your work, or your children, or your hobbies, that will become what you treasure most. Pour yourself into the well-being of your spouse.
Pour your time and abilities into serving your spouse, and he or she will capture your heart. Continually investing in each other means you stay passionate for each other. It means you’re sharing your life with each other. It brings you closer.
Destiny. God decided it was not good for Adam to be alone. He created us for each other. I can’t achieve what God has planned for me without my beloved bride, Barb. She can’t reach her full potential without me, nor I without her. Obviously God can do anything, but He put us in each other’s lives for a reason: to serve each other toward our destiny together.
The best marriages are made of two servants in love. Put each other first and you’ll discover the marriage of your dreams.
When was the last time you had a servant’s heart toward your spouse??? Like the old Wolf Brand Chili commercial used to say…”Well, that’s too long.”
Go find a copy of the Kendrick Bros. film War Room and get a glimpse of what a servant’s heart looks like.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvBUfx9_kRoGexuOLr3iKtg
Do it today.
