Learning To Be Generous To Your Spouse
It's the holidays. The time of year where everyone becomes more generous. With their time, their money, and their talents. Many challenges even exist to encourage people to be more generous, like paying for food or coffee for the person who is in front of you in line. However, most people have this notion that generosity is limited to an outward action. Giving to those outside of your own home. Typically people you don't know.
I was reflecting on this topic the other day as our senior pastor spoke to this in a sermon called "A Generous Life"....(which was amazing by the way). As I was reflecting on this, many things came to mind. Moments where we as humans become the opposite of generous. The moments I'm talking about are not the outward actions, but the inward. The ones in marriage. We all have our weird and unique mannerisms. We all have ways in which we like things done. We all have ways in which we like to go about our day.
In marriage, we often find that our spouses are the opposite of us in how we like things done. One spouse likes to be early (my husband) and the other spouse always runs behind schedule (myself). One spouse likes things neat and tidy, another doesn't mind it messy. I'm sure you and your spouse have many of your own differences, as do me and my husband.
How often though do we feel generous in giving up our own desires or mannerisms to accommodate our spouses?? We are quick to pay for that persons coffee who is in line in front of us, but slow to make sure we can be on time to an event that is important to our spouse. We are quick to help others who are hurting during the holidays, but slow to pick up around the house for our husband or wife. We are so quick to help others, but why is it we feel like our spouse becomes last in our generosity?! Don't get me wrong, I'm not just speaking to you. Heck, I first thought of myself when listening to the message on Sunday.
Reflecting on how this holiday season, not only should I be more generous in the ways I serve others, but how I should be more generous in how I serve my husband. And let us not stop being generous to our spouses during the holidays, but all year round!
