I have an amazing wife. She is wonderfully loyal, faithful to a fault, smart and talented, always putting others first. She serves us constantly, we three kids: the boy, the baby girl, and me. We haven’t even been married a decade. What she has been through these last 8 years is not your typical newly married stuff.
Even before we got married, she stood faithfully beside me through some roller coaster experiences. All in all, we’ve spent countless nights up working late. We’ve also had to wake up in the wee early hours of the morning to travel to different cities to speak on time for early worship services. She’s been by my side when we put in full-time hours for part-time pay. She stood by me when I’ve been attacked by board members, secretly betrayed by church leaders, and fired suddenly without any notice. We’ve experienced the innocence of kids’ ministry, the drama of youth ministry, the politics of working with adults, and even spent time trying our very best with 90-year-olds. Our last stint was so stressful, it put me in the hospital with a stroke. I would think that the last 7 months of our lives would be the farthest thing from the typical fantasy of the average bride-to-be. I’m sure glad we kept the part about, “For better or for worse, in sickness and in health…,” in our vows. She swears that she’s not planning on leaving me. Why she doesn’t go home to Mother, I’ll never know. I’m so fortunate God has blessed me with her.
But you know, she’s not perfect. She occasionally falls short of my (unrealistic) expectations. Sometimes she forgets things I explicitly ask her to do. Sometimes she even allows our ever screaming, always hyper, crazy, strong-willed children get the best of her. Yet, even though she’s not perfect, I’m beginning to see that her little imperfections are actually perfect for me. I’m figuring out that her “flaws” perfectly line up with the areas of my character that need the most work!
One of my favorite Bible teachers, Rick Warren, puts it this way. God’s purpose is not for our comfort, but for our character. Marriage is not so much for our happiness, but for our holiness. So even when my wife fails to be the idealized superhuman, flawless wife I want her to be, she is exactly the right woman for me. God has so perfectly put us together to make me more like my big brother, Jesus Christ. I am so very blessed to have her by my side, so patient with my bumbling attempts and bull-headed blunders, so forgiving and faithful day after day. I could hope for no one better in a thousand lifetimes. I am a “lucky” man!
How about you my faithful friend? Who might you be thankful for this Holiday season? It might be the “perfect” time to let them know.
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)