Is This Normal?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23671580/

This is a wonderful story about a couple who recently celebrated their 83rd wedding anniversary! As I was watching this story, I was struck by how matter-of-fact the wife spoke about their marriage. When asked about the secret to staying together all these years, "Mrs. Mayme" answered, “You take your vows, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,” Mayme said. “I guess you just stick to it, come what may.” You just stick to it. Hmm, let's see, you make a promise-a vow-to someone, and you just stick to it. Nothing fancy, nothing unusual, just living up to the commitment you made, come what may.



Here's the thing: our society will likely look at this story in one of two ways. They'll either see this as "cute" and reduce it to puppy-in-the-window status, or they'll look at it and shake their heads, amazed at something this rare. But the reality is, this should be the norm, not the exception. Oh sure, it's exceptional because of their age and the amount of years they've been married, but the fact that a couple sees marriage as a commitment, not necessarily because they want it to be, but because they promised it would be, shouldn't strike us as odd. And if it does, we probably ought to take a long hard look at our perspective on things. The fact that over half of marriages end in divorce might make it "the norm" statistically and culturally, but it shouldn't make it the norm inevitably. As Christians we should be shocked, surprised, and astounded when marriages fall apart, not when they last! One of the hardest parts of being in the world, is not buying into the world's ideas about things and start thinking the way it thinks.

Stories like this are a good reminder and checkpoint for me to guage just how "in-step" with the world I often times am.