On Sunday December 24, 2023, my wife turned 61 and our marriage 35. Early morning on that day, my daughter sent me a congratulatory text message. I used that to challenge her that one should have a vision of permanence in marriage. Without that, there would be enough reasons to throw in the towel somewhere along the line. She later asked me how to cast a vision of permanence, which I promised to share when I meet her in London. James said, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4 NKJV). We may as well say, “Let marriage have its perfect work in you.” The works of marriage are many. It tackles selfishness at its root. It ingrains the virtue of patience into you. It promotes mutual respect. Invariably, Christlike nature will develop. Marriage will never leave you the same way.
Beyond the scope of marriage, anything that will succeed must also be based on a vision of permanence. A trial and error approach to life has no guarantee of success.
Dividends of marriage come to those who are not speculators. I learned the word ‘speculator’ from my financial coach. He informed me that people go into the stock market for various reasons. He noted that those who go as speculators want immediate cash out when there is spike in the price of stocks. Such approach to marriage will not work. It takes a full time commitment. Beyond the scope of marriage, anything that will succeed must also be based on a vision of permanence. A trial and error approach to life has no guarantee of success.
