Erwin Lutzer said in a sermon, “I once met a man who said, “In the forty years we’ve been married, my wife and I haven’t had an argument.”

“I said to him, “Well, my marriage has not been quite that boring, personally.”

Thankfully, mine and Becky’s hasn’t been either!

G. K. Chesterton said, “I have known many happy marriages, but never a compatible one.  The whole aim of marriage is to fight through and survive the instant when incompatibility becomes unquestionable.  For a man and a woman, as such, are incompatible.”

Yea God for our incompatibilities!  Take it to the bank we’ve all got them, especially husbands and wives.  Their not just because of our gender but consider the differences in our family backgrounds, communities of origin and personalities to name three.  Why yea God?  Because God blesses couples who take their marriage seriously including their differences.

Passionate followers of Christ take their marriage vows before God seriously.  We also take our love for one another seriously.  We’re not in it to endure it but to enjoy it and especially one another!

Mature couples strive and long to see their spouse successful in every way!  Part of that is the freedom to be who God created your wife or husband to be.  The Scripture teaches us “to look to the interest of others.”

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:1–3, ESV)

Obviously this means we continually work hard at understanding one another and working to develop common interests while giving our spouse the freedom to pursue their interests as well.  It’s why healthy couples have common interests like cooking together or golf and still are free to pursue separate interests that make them who they are.

Along the way there are disagreements, hurts and lots of forgiveness. However there is incredible love, joy and good times!

Yea God for our incompatibilities!

Grace, Peace and Joy!