<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=838528320191540&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Donate

Latest Broadcast

To Love Thy Neighbor Through Political Participation

Guest: Pastor Jack Hibbs

Recent Broadcasts

Donate

April 12, 2017

Your Marriage Needs a Line of Respect

Show proper respect to everyone. 
1 Peter 2:17 


Conflict can often play a positive role in marriage—especially when it helps maintain lines of respect. 


Suppose I work at my office two hours later than usual on a particular night. I know that Shirley is preparing a candlelight dinner, yet I don't call to let her know I'll be late. As the evening wears on, Shirley wraps the cold food in foil and puts it in the refrigerator. When I finally get home, I don't apologize. Instead, I sit down with the newspaper and abruptly tell Shirley to get my dinner ready. You can bet there would be fireworks in the Dobson household that night! Shirley would rightfully interpret my insensitive behavior as insulting and would move to defend the "line of respect" between us. Her strong feelings would be totally justified.

Let's put the shoe on the other foot. Suppose Shirley knows I need the car at 2:00 P.M. for some important purpose, but she deliberately keeps me waiting. Perhaps she sits in a restaurant with a friend, drinking coffee and talking. Meanwhile, I'm pacing the floor at home wondering where she is. It is very likely that she will hear about my dissatisfaction when she gets home. Even though the offense was minor, the line of respect has been violated.

Some things are worth defending. At the top of the list is the "line of respect" between husbands and wives.

From Night Light for Couples by Dr. James and Shirley Dobson.

Related Articles

  See More Articles

January 19, 2017

How to Avoid Locking Horns with Your Spouse

My wife and I sometimes get into fights when neither of us really wants to argue. I'm not ...

September 24, 2024

How To Make Date Nights Great

It's your night out together. It comes around every week. What can you do to make date ...

October 01, 2019

How Not To Ruin Date Night

It is the end of the week. Finally, it's date night. Work can wait until Monday. Kids ...