Topic: THE LANGUAGE OF INTERDEPENDENCE
THEME SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 7:4 (AMPC)
For the wife does not have [exclusive] authority and control over her own body, but the husband [has his rights]; likewise also the husband does not have [exclusive] authority and control over his body, but the wife [has her rights].
MESSAGE:
When you’re independent, you’re free to use the word, “My!” My house, my money, my car, my everything! But the moment you enter into an interdependent covenant with a spouse at the marriage altar, and the two of you are joined together as husband and wife, you’re not expected to use the language of an independent person any longer. Interdependence has its unique language called, “Our!”
From our theme Scripture, we discover that both the wife and the husband don’t have exclusive authority over their own bodies once they’re married. The husband shares the body of the wife with her; he has his rights. Likewise, the wife shares the body of the husband with him; she has her rights! Think about it!
How many people go into marriage with this mindset? The marriage covenant is serious business! If, with your own body, you don’t have exclusive authority once you’re married, how much more every other thing or possesion? If, in the marital union, you cannot say, “This is my body, I can do whatever I please,” how much more your material wealth? This tells us the seriousness of the marriage covenant; and this is why you don’t enter into marriage unadvisedly, but you do so soberly, discreetly and in the fear of God! The only time you’re expected to use the language, “My” in marriage, is when you’re referring to your spouse - my wife, or my husband. This is a caution to those who invade the homes of their relations and refer to their in-laws as, “Our wife” or “Our husband.”
The language of interdependence requires that you use the expression, “Our house; our home; our car; our children; our money (even if it’s only one who brings in the income). I wonder how many married couples and would-be married couples have this mindset!