Good evening! The word for this Wintertide Tractation is: Ring
Start:
Perhaps there are some of you readers who, like me, notice jewelry. Tonight while I was at church I noticed several of the rings on those women who I associated with this evening and now that this word has come up, I realize that I had subconsciously stashed away the pictures of them.
Our church pianist and I have been working on a duet for Christmas morning and as we sat in close proximity to each other, I noticed her flashy wedding set. It pleases me. She is greatly loved by her quiet, thoughtful husband and as a wonderful lady I am glad that he would lavish such upon her.
I noticed another wedding set on my good friend and fellow teacher in the children's class I help with. She and her husband are frugal. He works hard so that she can stay home with their children, but yet again I was happy to see the "sparkler" that she wore, a token of his devotion to her.
Rings are funny things. They're displayed on TV, in sale ads, and on billboards. The captions accompanying them promise that the purchase of such will either secure the man adoration from his wife or fiance, or will show the woman just how valuable she it. Most of the time, the rings pictured are much too gaudy to my liking.
I recently watched a movie called "Princess Cut". The main character, Grace, starts out with her heart set on having the perfect engagement ring, a Princess cut, with seemingly no care as to the type of guy that puts it on her finger. As the movie progresses, she realizes that the character of the man is far more important than the style of the ring.
When my parents were picking out rings before their marriage in the eighties, they decided on yellow gold bands as wide as they could feasibly manage because, according to my Mother, "I wanted people to know he was taken". (I know my Dad would echo those sentiments about my Mother.)
As I've grown up seeing those bands on my parents' ring fingers, seen the ads with the glitzy over-done engagement jewels, heard the divorce rates, and learned a little about the struggles of marriage, I'm beginning to think there's something my parents know that the advertisers (and those that are tricked into buying their wares) don't.
A wedding band or an engagement ring is only as beautiful as the love that's behind it. The simplest diamond is worn with dignity when the woman knows that her man is the real "priceless gem". The most dazzling, diamond-studded ring is worthless when the relationship is built on selfish motives and not Christ.
Yes, invariably, every topic eventually winds back to Christ. After all, He's the One Who created the world, and that includes marriage. He's the One Who has true wisdom for those involved in it. Those who enter that sacred bond without Him set themselves up for great heartache.
Whether I marry or not, whether I get a stunning setting or a simple piece of jewelry, I most desperately want the Lord, my Savior, to be the Author of my marriage. In His hands, a ring is only a side benefit.
I often think of a simple but precious song I learned as a child,
"Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares with You."
(I believe the author is Lynn Deshazo)
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