Then, on a more sobering note, Deuteronomy 24:5 is interesting:
When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken
Imagine if our society reinforced this - not through litigation, but through societal influence. Imagine if men were required to be free, for a whole year, at the beginning of their marriage. You wouldn't have men running off to war as a newlywed (and likely heavily distracted, wanting to be back home with their new wife) or rushing off to marry as part of a new job opportunity.
You wouldn't have stay-at-home dads earning a living via internet marketing or real estate or anything else that allows someone to be at home making business decisions - you would have men setting aside a significant portion of their early life getting ready to marry, so that the first year of their new married life could focus exclusively on getting to know their new wives better, to give assurance to their new wife that they mean to support them, and it would clearly be a huge blessing to both man and wife.
Our society currently gives tax breaks and minimal societal reinforcement to bind people together in holy matrimony, predominantly reinforcing the following:
- "In the future" people should get married, but not "now"
- Don't prepare for or make big decisions until the deciding is thrust upon you.
- Only short-term decisions matter, so most of your training will come from there.
- Most of the decisions you will have to make won't have long-term consequences.
- And if all else fails, remember these two rules:
Don't get caught
The one who has the gold makes the rules.
These lessons are taught, religiously, through television, radio, movie, and peer, and the result is a lack of spiritual development (or concern), dissonance between planning and execution, a nearly complete lack of personal accountability, and an abstract appreciation for suffering that dehumanizes the entire process.
So what do we do? What can YOU do, as a faithful believer in Jesus?
- Pray
Pray for legislative bodies to truly seek God's guidance, to have the patience of Job when things look tough, and the wisdom of Solomon when things look easy - so that the laws that are put into practice are literally wise, instead of relatively wise. Pray also daily, connecting with God through regular and intentional connection with Him. - Read
Read scripture for examples of how people in the faith survived under tyrannical rule and what acts they took. We don't live in a monarchy, but the tools are still effective. In fact, if people were to put into practice the premises in scripture, the world could change overnight. - Act
Witness to those around you, whether in your place of work or on street corner, or your peers. Witness through actively engaging them. Be an amazing witness through the living and doing of the Word and witness through bearing the fruit of faith. - Love
Of all the things Jesus is known for the one that is most written about, and least understood, is the complete and utter love He had for everyone around him - try modeling your whole life after His standard and see your life change as a result.
If you would, please comment on this post, sharing in exactly what ways you've consciously chosen to change (no matter how small) and a running observation of how those changes have borne fruit. In other words, in addition to the above four points, I challenge you to give me a praise report.
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