How many Christian wives have thrown this verse in their husbands face when their mother-in-law has gotten on their last nerve? When the concept of annoying mothers-in-law come up, my mind often wanders to Ray Barone and his poor wife on "Everybody loves Raymond". So many jokes are made about the mother-in-law that many comedians have set their career paths along that line.
This verse was written before Adam and Eve had kids and since they did not have earthly parents - why is this scripture right here? Not only does it foreshadow the questions that will be raised when children marry, but also how a marriage is to work and what the parents are to expect.
Marriage is a new journey - a new start in life. It is NOT an extension of living with mom and dad. The newlyweds must know that they have full responsibility for surviving with each other. House payments, car payments, job finding, house cleaning, lawncare, child-raising, cooking, health issues etc. etc. These are things that the two will need to figure out together how they are going to handle. What does this mean for mom and dad? It means mom and dad are no longer responsible for making sure junior is fed and bathed and clothed. It is a time where they should be able to see all their training actually show up in their child. That doesn't mean that the parents should not be there to help out or offer advice when needed or be a big part of the newly married couples life - it just means that they need to acknowledge that this is a new step in their childs life and God has set it up for them to do it with their spouse. God makes this guideline in the very beginning when marriage is first established - between one man and one woman.
4 comments:
amen! good thoughts, friend. I am already praying for my sons' future wives. (They are too!) It is tough to go from cleaving to leaving...but if we train them up that way and prepare them (and ourselves) for it, maybe it comes more naturally and smoothly.
(Ps. you have an award at my place!! Hugs to you~)
My mother in law and I struggled at first. I remember when we got through that and she was one of the most wonderful women in my life. As a new mother in law I am so aware of this issue that I think I am failing on not knowing how to connect with my son and his beautiful wife. I am praying for insight to know how close to dance to them in their rhythm and keep step to the tunes in their lives.
Again....your insightful writing opened up truth for me.
God blessed me with a WONDERFUL mother in law, but he knows I have no relationship with my mother. So I thank God for my mother in law today.
Wonderful insight!! None of my children are married as of yet, but they are all of an age where this could happen.
This is good to store in my mind for the future. If and when they do marry, I want to be a blessing to the couple rather than be considered an annoyance.
My own parents did step back to let us be on our own--figure things out on our own, but were there for us when we needed advice and help at certain times.
And right here--right in the beginning of the Bible--God has it all planned out. As you say, there were no in-laws yet, no children yet--so His plans for the future have already been set and made. Who can refute the truth of the Bible when it is perfectly clear from the very beginning that God had plans for the future?
Beth
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