The Verbs #20 (Loyalty)
“Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving, but where on earth can you find one?”
Proverbs 20:6 MSG
We live in a world that has developed a throw away mentality. If something becomes a little aged or broken, we simply throw it away and replace it. We have disposable plates, disposable cups, disposable silverware, disposable diapers, even disposable phones. I think you get the picture. The simple message is that we often don’t take the time to identify the root issue of an item that is completely broken or not working properly. If a computer slows down, we just go buy a faster one. If it glitches, we completly wipe out programs and get the latest and greatest new one! Even in our clothing, we wear an item one time, dispose of it and then purchase the latest fad. We are geared, even instructed, to be “out with the old and in with the new”!
That same mentality is creeping into our relationships The moment that a relationship slow downs, has a few glitches, there is the temptation to dispose of it, wipe it out and start fresh with someone else.
In March of this year Melissa and I will be married 17 years. If you believe that our relationship has been without glitches, slow downs, or without some messes along the way, you are sadly mistaken. To say there is a lot of water under the bridge is an understatement; however, during the seventeen years of our relationship we have built a stronger and higher bridge. We are the bridge. Our duty is to stay above many of the issues that cause things to slow down or speed up.
You see, water under a bridge really doesn’t affect the bridge. A bridge (relationship) is not built overnight. Early on, when we were first building and forging our marriage, the water affected us. We were trying to build something and the storms came. It affected us because we hadn’t had the time to get our bridge built. Storms are just a part of it. You have to just keep building. If you will remain loyal to each other and to God, you will build a relationship that can withstand the storms. It’s then you move on to another phase. The same storm can occur but it doesn’t have an affect, because the water just flows under the bridge. It doesn’t flood your marriage. It doesn’t slow your marriage down, it doesn’t cause the glitches it might have before, because your bridge is higher and stronger!
Now that Melissa and I have built a bridge (relationship), we haven’t stopped maintaining, improving or working on our bridge. Nor should you! Regardless of how long you’ve been in your relationship, you need to keep building, maintaining and improving your bridge!
If you are just starting out in a marriage or a relationship, don’t go into with a disposable mindset. Go into with your eyes wide open, knowing that storms will come, but have the mindset that we will stick it out!
When people look at your life, may they know your life exemplifies loyalty! A lot of people say they are loyal. They say “I will be with you”. Don’t just say it, do it!
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