A PARSIMONIOUS SPOUSE

 A PARSIMONIOUS SPOUSE?

Genesis 2:18-25 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

  I once received the financial tip “When marrying, choose a parsimonious spouse.” A bit of weird humor; first the ridiculous sounding word; then in making ridiculous suggestion that anyone should marry a parsimonious spouse to keep their spendthrift compulsive shopping ways under control.

  Ridiculous suggestion indeed; for a parsimonious spouse is often frugal and cost-conscious far beyond financial budget matters. They have been known to be much narrower than tightfisted penny crushing, with some being stingy, cheap and miserly emotionally and physically, even considering themselves the ordained royal comptroller of all things family and beyond.

  Marriage is one very serious business, finances, wealthy or not, being but just one of the sub-topics within. An issue capable of producing stress, disharmony, and, for some, downright misery.

  In Scripture I see marriage established as our second most important decision, the first being relationship to trust and fellowship in and with God. (I’m not saying here that everyone must marry. To insist so is not Biblical.)

  One immediate question: Considering “help meet” in 2:18; was part of the test of living in Eden seeing how Adam and Eve worked together?

  To the end that we may grow and mature together whether single, engaged, or married, I pray. 

EBB4  

My recommended resource: For only $2.99 June Hunt’s 96 page Bible-based Christ centered CONSIDERING MARRIAGE, Are You Fit To Be Tied? Useful for self, ministering to loved ones and others, an excellent early-stage shower gift.