My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments… if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures; then you will… find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5
A promotion by tax-preparation giant H. R. Block Inc. offered walk-in customers a chance to win a drawing for a million dollars.
Glen and Gloria Sims of Sewell, New Jersey, won the drawing, but they refused to believe it when an H. R. Block representative phoned them with the good news. After several additional contacts by both mail and phone, the Sims still thought it was all just a scam, and usually hung up the phone or trashed the special notices.
Some weeks later, H. R. Block called one more time to let the Sims know the deadline for accepting the million-dollar prize was nearing and that the story of their refusal to accept the prize would appear on an upcoming NBC “Today Show.”
At that point, Mr. Sims decided to investigate further.
A few days later he appeared on the “Today Show” to tell America that he and his wife had finally gone to H. R. Block to claim the million-dollar prize.
Amazing, isn’t it?
A million dollar prize waiting for them to claim, but they were skeptical. Truth is, any of us could have done the same thing.
If you’ve been around long enough you know how easy it can be to be snookered by a sales gimmick. And if you’ve been married long enough, sadly, you may have fallen into the same trap with your spouse.
Faith is an excitement and an enthusiasm: it is a condition of intellectual magnificence to which we must cling as to a treasure, and not squander on our way through life in the small coin of empty words, or in exact and priggish argument. –George Sand
Knowingly or not, we sometimes put our partner in a box. He’s been like that for years, we say, so he’ll never change.
But he or she can and will make positive changes, if you let it happen. If you refuse to see something good, small increments of improvement in some area, you make the change impossible.
It’s like not claiming a million dollar prize when it’s there for the asking. So quit rolling your eyes and set aside your skepticism to discover the good changes that may be taking place right beside you.
What treasure in your marriage might you be missing out on by refusing to believe that change is possible?
We know this can be a soul searching question so you may need some time to think about it. But once you identify a place where you may be keeping your spouse from making positive change (because you refuse to believe it will ever happen), see if you can take a step back and accept the possibility that change could happen.
You and your marriage will be the richer for it.
Reflect and Respond
How might you be keeping your spouse from making a positive change?
Go ahead, tell us in the comments.
Related Resource
God brings us soul-friends to help in our spiritual journey, sometimes in predictable places: small groups, friendships, and mentors. But they’re sometimes found in places we don’t expect. Whether it’s a hidden guide, a member of a small group, or a friend we’ve had for years, these soul-friends all hold the potential to embody grace that enables us to take a next step in the unfolding journey of our faith.
By not acknowledging the good things often enough. It’s so easy to acknowledge those things you want to change and overlook those things that have already changed for the better. I will do a better job at acknowledging and appreciating those good changes.
Most of the time, God won’t work like this.
The truth is a powerful tool for life change—the truth spoken in love, taught from a bold and trustworthy teacher will rearrange you.
Great post! How many times have you said.. that’s just ____ ? Seems like a good way to miss some baby steps of change that if encouraged could lead to sea change! Thank you!
Wow- this one really hit me, as I truly HAVE gotten to that abysmal place where I DON’T think my husband is capable of change- because he doesn’t seem to want to! We have been married for 42 years and it has been a challenge most of that time. I believe all things are possible with God but I guess hope has gone missing for me. This devotional has me re-thinking some of my sad assumptions…