TOOLS FOR BUILDING A HAPPY MARRIAGE

No matter how well-matched a married couple seem to be, they differ in emotional make-up, childhood experiences, and family background. Therefore, some problems are to be expected after marriage. How will they be handled? Well, when builders construct a house, they consult the plans. These are guidelines are to be followed. The Bible provides God's standards for building a happy family. Let us now examine a few of these.

Loyalty. Jesus said: "What God has yoked together let no man put apart." ( Matthew 19:6) The apostle Paul wrote: "Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers." (Hebrews 13:4) Married persons should therefore feel an obligation toward Jehovah to remain faithful to their mates. -Genesis 30:7-9.

Loyalty accords the marriage dignity and security. Loyal spouses know that, come what may, they will support each other. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) How different from those who abandon their marriage at the first hint of trouble! Such individuals quickly conclude that they 'chose the wrong person,' that they have 'fallen out of love,' that a new mate is the cure. But this gives neither spouse opportunity to grow. Instead, such disloyal ones may carry the same problems to new partners. When a person has a fine home but finds that the roof is leaking, surely he tries to repair it. He does not just move to another house. Similarly, changing a mate is not the way to solve the issues that lie beneath marital strife. When problems arise, do not try to get out of the marriage, but work very hard to preserve it. Such loyalty treats the union as something worth guarding, maintaining, and cherishing.

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The Book - KNOWLEDGE That Leads To Everlasting Life, 1995