Have you been the “better” or the “worse” in your marriage?  Seriously, marriages must be strong enough to make it through the good and the bad in life, along with the good and bad in us.  In God’s divine wisdom, He gave us someone who could be strong when we are weak.  For me, He gave the nicer, the better and younger looking, the more generous, the smarter and the one who could find stuff.  Over the years, He also gives the grace so that the worse is not so bad with my mate by my side and the better is far better celebrated with the two of us.

But here’s the bigger deal:  Are you becoming the better?  Are you becoming stronger where you were weak?  Are you pursuing wholeness so that you can become what your life mate is in need of?  Are you prioritizing your spouse over your personal goals, desires and interests so that you can honor the one God gave you as a life partner?  The act of marriage allows for two individuals with two individual wills to grow up together and mature into oneness – a oneness that reflects Christ to one another and those around us.  Author Gary Thomas says that we are one another’s mirrors.  What are you reflecting back to your spouse, better or worse?  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others [your spouse]. Philippians 2:4