A WORD FOR TODAY, January 14, 2021
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, January 14, 2021
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, WEB
I have always joked that I didn’t look forward to the day Bruce retired because that would mean he would be underfoot every day. I’ve been a stay-at-home wife and mother for most of our marriage, and I enjoy the solitude of the day when everyone is at work. I’m an introvert at heart, and I work so much better when I am uninterrupted. I didn’t have to wait until his retirement to test my ability to live with him, though. The pandemic made it necessary for him to work remotely. I’m not complaining, though, because it meant that he could continue to work.
Thankfully, I’ve learned that he doesn’t drive me completely nuts! We have found ways to work around each other. I now own a pair of sound blocking Bluetooth headphones and he gives me a schedule of his meetings so I can work around them. I do confess that I enjoy the rare occasions when Bruce has to go into his office, so I can have a time of peace and quiet. It has taken work to find a way to live together in this strange time. We have always gotten along well, but we’ve both had to act as peacemakers to keep our relationship strong. We have not had any of the usual underlying reasons to divorce, so this constant togetherness has not caused us the kind of problems it might have.
It might seem strange to say we’ve had to work at it; we are married and we should get along well under any circumstances. We vowed “for better or worse, in sickness and in health” although many would suggest we didn’t vow “under pandemic.” I saw a billboard shortly after the lockdowns began for a divorce attorney that showed a measuring tape and the words, “Need more than six feet?” The implication was that marriages would be falling apart because of a lack of space. Instead of finding a way to live together, divorce lawyers assumed that couples would choose to divorce. Current records, however, have found that divorce rates hit a fifty year low in 2019 and the trend has not changed in 2020. Some have suggested that the lower rate for this year is simply because it is hard to get a divorce right now and that the rate will skyrocket as life returns to normal. But perhaps many couples have found new love and appreciation for one another.
How are you getting on with the people who are living in your house? How are you spending time together? What activities have you found to make the time less stressful and more joyful? What work have you done in your relationships to keep them strong?
Today’s scripture is often used at weddings, and I sometimes think that it is cliché to use such an obvious text. Yet, Paul’s words are more important than ever in times like these. It is not just about the romantic love between a man and a woman, but is about the love of God that is manifest through His people. The words of this love chapter that are used so often at weddings may mean something very special on that day, but what marriage is perfect? Are we really able to avoid breaking some of the exhortations? Are we always patient with our spouse? Are we always kind? Do we really manage to live together without envy, boasting, arrogance or rudeness? Unfortunately, we all have moments when we demand our own way, when we are irritable and resentful. We can probably all think of a time when we have even rejoiced in wrongdoing. We can remember a moment when we refused to bow down and respond to an overflowing heart.
But the love of God bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The love of God never ends. We are reminded by this passage that everything given to us by God is to be built on His love. That’s how we keep our relationships strong. If, perhaps, 2020 was the year of building our personal, intimate relationships, then perhaps 2021 is the year for us to work together to take that love of God out into the world in ways that will bring peace. But that is a lesson for tomorrow.
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