Undisputed — Over The Family - Wednesday
Today’s Verse
Ephesians 4:25
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. (NLT)
This week, we’ve been talking about God’s perfect design for marriage and families. The Bible outlines how these relationships should ideally look and function, but what happens when sin enters the equation?
The truth is, none of us comes from a perfect home or family. You were not raised by perfect parents, and you were not a perfect child. You will not be a perfect spouse or a perfect parent either. Sin is a reality in relationships, even in the most God-centered families. While we have grace and forgiveness of our sins through Jesus, the consequences of our sins are not erased. One of the most painful consequences of sin inside the covenant of marriage or in a parent-child relationship is broken trust.
A wife needs to be able to trust her husband, and a husband must be able to trust his wife. Trust in marriage is more than just believing each other’s words. It is entrusting your heart, safety, comfort, and even your body to another person. One of the greatest gifts you can give your spouse is to be someone who is easy to trust; someone whose words are honest, whose actions are consistent, and whose heart is faithful.
But what happens when your spouse fails to uphold their part of the covenant, and trust is shattered? Well, immediately, the calling of the other spouse becomes harder, and there is an imbalance within the marriage covenant. The unity that marriage is supposed to reflect, a picture of Christ and the Church, is disrupted. The pain is real, and the road to restoration can be long and difficult.
Trust is at the heart of other family relationships, too. Maybe you had a parent who let you down time and time again. They told you one thing, but their actions said something completely different. Over time, their words stopped meaning anything to you. Broken promises and inconsistent love make it hard to honor that mother or father.
Reconciliation in these relationships takes time, grace, prayer, and a lot of work from everyone involved. Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:25 are not just about avoiding lies, it's a call to action. It’s about consistently choosing to be someone others can trust.
REFLECTION
Would others say that you are easy to trust? Why or why not?
What’s one area in your life (marriage, parenting, or family history) where God might be calling you to bring truth and healing?
