“You Complete Me!”

I’ve been working on a term paper for my “Systematic Theology” class this week, and have not been able to pull my head out of academia long enough to produce a cogent devotional thought. But a statement in an article about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Marie Shriver’s separation caught my attention.

A divorce lawyer who was interviewed for the article speculated: “People have little tolerance nowadays for relationships that don’t fulfill them in all aspects.” That statement pretty much sums up the ethic of the day—I need someone to complete me.  Everyone is searching for that “one” person.

If our lives were like a cup, we would certainly want to fill it with positive emotions and genuine fulfillment in life. And at a very early age, we begin to look for what we think can fill up our cups with positive things. We look to one of three sources, or all three, for the fullness we want—acceptance, worth, or performance. When Martha tried to be fulfilled by her performance, Jesus told her she had missed the “one” thing that Mary had chosen. When the rich young man tried to prove his worth by his good deeds, Jesus told him he had missed the “one” thing. When the woman at the well was trying to fulfill herself through acceptance, Jesus told her about the “one” that could satisfy her.

What is the ONE thing they missed? That Jesus was the only “One” who could fulfill them. And He is the only “One” to whom it is quite appropriate to say “You complete me!”

Why Should You Care if the Gores are Divorcing?

You may ask “what does it matter?” I think it matters a lot. You see, Al and Tipper’s decision to divorce has opened up a national discussion on the merits of marital longevity, long thought to be proof of marital contentment. And their reason: not infidelity, but boredom. In yesterday’s USA Today article on the subject, divorce lawyer John Mayoue says “I think we’re seeing persons in long marriages questioning whether in fact there’s a better life out there. [More people are giving themselves an] option to terminate a long-term marriage… [and even] more now because people live longer… staying in the relationship for the purpose of longevity is not necessarily a good reason.”

The long term effects of the Gore’s divorce—simply because they grew apart—is a tear in the fabric of Christian morality (Did you know the Gores claim to be born again Christians?). Moreover, it gives permission to others experiencing the same life crisis to do the same. Those persons who have remained committed to work on their marriages, will now say “Well, if the Gores can separate because they have grown apart, so can we.” (It is our fleshly nature to justify ourselves!)

And finally, this is important because it matters to God. Listen to His words through the prophet Malachi: "For I hate divorce!" says the LORD, the God of Israel. "It is as cruel as putting on a victim's bloodstained coat," says the LORD Almighty. "So guard yourself; always remain loyal to your wife." (Malachi 2:16) Pray for the Gores; they may yet repent and set an example of moral absolutes.