'What God Has Put Together....' From my Tenth Wedding Anniversary Reflections.(Part 2)

A legalistic position is like this: It insists on lecturing a motor accident injury casualty on driving skills! Does it make sense? No! Why? Bad timing? Because the casualty needs basic first aid, prompt emergency treatment....Person may be in a critical state!

Well, if it doesn't make sense to an accident injured casualty, it shouldn't be the approach used in dealing with a range of situations involving Christian living. Yet, it is the preferred approach used within the so-called community of believers, when a brother or sister stumbles or falls. Today, I am highlighting this element in how separated/divorced christian couples are handled by other believers. One illustration of a legalistic position : Brother A and Sister A1 are married for years. They separate in the first 7 years. The community of believers, closely associated with their particular Christian denomination, hears about their situation. Immediately, a lot of pressure is piled on them with well intentioned scriptural admonitions such as 'GOD HATES DIVORCE' , 'WHAT GOD HAS PUT TOGETHER, LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER', and as if this is not enough they are also made aware scriptures such as ' HE WHO DIVORCES HIS WIFE/HUSBAND EXCEPT ON GROUNDS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND REMARRIES COMMITS ADULTERY ETC'. Incidentally, that is the main focus of the admonishing received by folks who are on the firing line! My conviction is that, simply hurling such scriptural admonition at folks who are experiencing a troubled relationship is equivalent to 'lecturing a wounded motorist' about traffic lessons or driving skills'
Why? Just like the casualty, a wounded motorist needs prompt medical attention, folks who are separated or divorced are experiencing the trauma of an emotional or spiritual wound. If simply lecturing a wounded motorist on how to avoid the mistakes which led to the accidents isn't going to heal them, neither should we use such an approach when dealing with wounded or separated folks.
Our priority first of all must be to find them Nurturing, loving care, the kind we give a sick patient. What do we do to an injured motorist. We provide first aid, when their condition is stable, then the paramedics transport them as an emergency to the hospital, for skilled 24 hour care! It is only when they are out of the 'critical state' and stable that they are either transferred for gradual recovery or discharged home in minor cases. NOW, IF THE MEDICAL WORLD HAS THAT LEVEL OF NATURAL DECENCY OR COMMON SENSE, WHY DO SO CALLED BELIEVERS INSIST ON SHOOTING AND FATALLY WOUNDING FOLKS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE 'MARITAL ACCIDENTS'?



Copyright(C)2010 John Agbenyega Williamson