Arranged Marriages Were Better

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

In Biblical times, how did someone find a spouse? Did you go to the Jerusalem singles bar? Did they post on the Temple website: "Twenty-five year old Pharisee, looking for young Sadducean woman, likes performing rituals, offering sacrifices, and all around good times." Back in Biblical times, many marriages were arranged by the parents. Today, we go looking for the "Perfect One," the person with all the right and desirable characteristics. You'd think that the modern system, where you choose the one you want to marry, would produce better marriages than the ancient system where you had no choice; but not so. With all our searching and choosing the so-called "perfect mate," one out of every two marriages ends up in divorce. And yet back then, when marriages were arranged, there was very little divorce. What's the secret? It's not about finding the perfect one - it's about loving the imperfect one with a perfect love. God's love is not based on choosing perfect people but choosing to love imperfect people with a perfect love. rn

From Message #460 - Uncovering His Feet