Good Morning,
A hot cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee is greeting me this morning. It is a faithful old friend to me. It is time to write.
I was once asked by a young couple what advice I could give them regarding marriage. We were attending their wedding reception and all of us attendees were given a sheet of paper so we could write down some advice. I actually did as I was asked and it was a challenge to keep it simple and swift.
I wrote that God should always be first in each of their lives and they should then place each other second. I thought that it was an answer that was perfect. Later that year I found out that my answer was the same as the majority of the answers shared.
What I haven't said was this. I wrote just a little more on to their sheet and they sought me out to elaborate a few weeks later.
I explained my comment. Once God is first in your personal life and then combined with the other life in your marriage, learn to get along despite emotions, urges to argue, and just in general when the other person in this relationship poked the bear, or got on to your last nerve.
My challenge or advice was this. "Speak softly and listen carefully."
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so you may know how you ought to answer each person.
James 1:19 Know this my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
My point for today is this. Everyone has a desire and a need to be heard. We show how much we love others by how we listen to them and how we speak. Your mouth and ears are a gauge as to what is in your hearts. We show how much we value having them in our lives, just by how we speak and listen.
Have a great day. Listen more and speak less.
Marty
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