The Relevance of Service in Marriage

Contrary to the opinion of some that marriage marks an end to struggling and fending for oneself, marriage is a platform to serve others. As a result, anyone coming into the marriage institution must come in prepared with the intention to serve and not to be served.

So many marriages come to an abrupt end few days after wedding just because either spouse feels too dignified to undertake simple house chores like cooking, washing, cleaning, disposing of waste, etc. One will therefore ask, if while you were single, you had no problem performing these chores, then what changed?

It is understandable that due to reasons of ill-health, disability, etc., a partner may not be able to perform some duties. However, this should not be an excuse for not supporting your spouse, at all. So many spouses have lost their health and lives because their partners overburden them with the responsibility of running the affairs of the home alone.

Furthermore, instead of making supporting one another sacrificial, some couples make it transactional: for every service one spouse gives, the other must do something in exchange. If one party defaults, the other is justified in reneging. This should not be the case. Every spouse should recognize that they are one with their partner and that whatever they do for the other is done for themselves.

It should be noted that although versatility may not be a requirement for qualifying for marriage, everyone desiring to get married should possess at least some essential skills and abilities to run a home. Parents should endeavor to train their children to perform various home chores adequately. These abilities will come in handy, when they finally marry.

The marriage institution is said to be the only institution no one ever graduates from: you keep learning and advancing as the years go by. Therefore, for married couples who in the course of their marriage realize there are skills and abilities they need to learn to enable them become more resourceful at home, they should inform their partners about such skills and agree on acquiring them.

In conclusion, just like any endeavor in life, marriage requires deliberate preparations, mentally, emotionally financially and spiritually. Nothing should therefore be taken for granted.