A couple of months ago, I discovered a family of mice had made its home in our garage. It was not the first time, and it frustrated me to have to deal with the problem again. I was determined to take care of the problem once and for all.
I had recently heard somewhere that mice don’t like peppermint. Impulsively, I soaked several cotton balls in peppermint oil, stood in the center of the garage, and began launching them in all directions. I was pretty satisfied that I had found a quick, easy, natural solution that also happened to be a lot of fun.
My natural solution worked. And to this day our garage is mouse-free. Unfortunately, we spent the next several days dealing with the new problem I had created: making sure our house was also mouse-free.
Lesson learned: Before introducing peppermint oil, make sure there is no possible way the mice can escape into the house.
If you’re anything like me, your wife or husband has many opportunities to practice the spiritual discipline of offering grace. You can do your part to help by making room for your spouse to offer you grace. Here are three simple ways to do that:
1. Own your mistake. We all do stupid stuff. Don’t try to be the person who never makes a mistake. When you mess up, step up and take responsibility for it.
2. Laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself too seriously. When it’s appropriate, laugh at yourself and the mess you’ve made. It’s easier to be gracious with someone who already knows he’s acted foolishly.
3. Say I’m sorry. Nothing makes room for grace like a genuine, heartfelt apology. Apologize right away. Then do it again later. Make it a practice to be generous with apologies.
The daily, even hourly, rhythm of offering and receiving grace is essential for nurturing a sustainable marriage. It helps ensure that minor offenses don’t become major issues.
It is true that problems can crop up in a marriage that are complicated; the grace of a spouse doesn’t change established habits and patterns of behavior.
Even so, it is only by giving and receiving grace that we can hope to experience the true redemption of our relationship that is found in Jesus our Lord and Redeemer.
Continue the series: Be Your Wife’s Biggest Fan