Value of Debate

I have an amazing relationship with my wife. I thank God for our ability to communicate even when we do not see eye to eye. Which happens to be often. Many a Sunday the car ride from Worship Service is spent in a sort of quasi argument over what we heard in the sermon or what really touched us in the service. It is in these times that iron is sharpening iron. (Yes men, you may be sharpened by communicating with your wives about scripture. I fear that a misunderstanding of Peter and Paul's writing along with a sexist dogma that has been instilled in us has led to the belief that women have no credibility when it comes to matters of faith and this is far from the truth.) Some of the greatest lessons I have learned, God has shown me through my wife and daughters. With that in mind, I have this fear that due to the new norm (being a sissy is cool) people are more and more afraid to share what they really believe even with those they should be the most intimate with. (Intimacy is much more than just what happens when the lights go down and Barry White comes on!) If we want to make real connections we have to be willing to discuss our thoughts and feelings (no not crying) but more our insights and be willing to receive insights in others. You are so much more likely to retain information if you don't just listen to it or contemplate but hear your thoughts out loud and discuss them. It amazes me when I have friends that do not actively make attempts to spend time with their families, especially their wives. I lucked out and after 6 plus years of marriage many of her interests became mine and vice-versa. Granted I most likely will never get into baking (it makes a massive mess and requires extreme patience) where as she will most likely never get into war movies or the history channel. I find that if we do not question our thoughts while they are still fresh in our minds they will be wasted. It is through conversing that scriptures may come more alive. Jesus told the parable of sowing the seed and the ground that it landed on. Many times I have heard sermons telling us to be the fertile soil so that the seed (that is the truth) may be firmly rooted. I find that there are seasons where even the most devoted of followers have to be broken to regain the ability to be fertile. We all go through periods where our hearts are hardened, or the busy routines of life choke out our ability to remain steadfast in the truth. Which all brings me full circle. I need the prodding of my wife to remain able to hear and grow, where as she too needs to be challenged. There is value in debating our thoughts and differences. I am thankful that we are not all vanilla but God has given us each our own flavoring to impact the tastes of our world. I rely heavily on my wife for this do you?

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