I recently heard a story about a little boy who had a dog. Now he’d wanted a dog for a loooonnng time; had begged and pleaded with his parents to get him one and made all kinds of promises to secure his request. One day, they relented.
Now, this boy LOVED his dog. They played together; slept together, romped around together….shared food, dreams and secrets. The two were inseparable.
After a while, though, things began to change. The little boy started to moan and complain whenever he was told to take care of the dogs needs. Everything he used to do for it became drudgery to him and he started to resent this creature that had once given him so much joy. Now, when he came home from school he walked right by the dog; didn’t pet it, play with it, kiss or walk it. He began to only do just what was needed to keep the dog alive and to keep his parents from scolding him.
Still, the dog waited patiently each day by the gate, eager for the sound of the boy’s footsteps. It wagged its tail and gave happy barks whenever it saw the boy, always ready for a romp and a tummy rub. Oh, there were times here and there when the boy decided to get the dog out and play with it and it would be just like the old days. Mostly though, the dog ended up just curling up in its bed and going to sleep.
To most of us, especially us animal lovers, this story is heart wrenching. You can just picture it, can’t you? This cute little boy and his cute little dog and all of the fun and love they shared just dying off and the dog being left alone and the boy barely giving it the time of day.
This very thing happens in so many marriages. A man meets a woman and decides he must have her. He pursues and courts her, spends countless hours thinking of her and talking with her; they share secrets and dreams…she feels loved and desired ~ he feels on top of the world. The two are inseparable. They get married and everything is wonderful.
After a short time however, the needs of his wife ~ that before he couldn’t take care of fast enough ~ become drudgery to fulfill. He begins to moan and complain. He starts to resent this woman that had once given him so much joy. He spends more and more time away from her and from their home. When she suggests they go out he says he’s too busy. When she asks what time he’ll be home from work he tells her to stop questioning him. Oh…he still wants a hot meal when he gets home, and a clean house, clean clothes, the remote control and sex…lots of sex. And she does it all because she loves him and wants to be a good and submissive wife who is what the church has told her to be if she wants to keep her marriage together which she does because her parents got divorced (which she doesn’t want) and doesn’t God hate divorce? Her husband keeps telling her that He does.
