As a pastor for the past 30 years, I’ve seen and heard a lot. I’ve walked along side of people experiencing the greatest highs and lows of life. I’ve seen the miracle of birth and looked death in the face many times. I remember one day in April of 2012, going to Hurley Hospital where I shared a moment of overwhelming joy with a couple as they held their newborn baby. Then, a few minutes later, walked into a different room to grieve with a family who’s loved one was only minutes from death. Talk about emotional whip-lash!
We all have our share of joy and pain as we move through this life. And, as painful as the death of a loved one can be, I’ve witnessed something that is even more painful: the death of a marriage. There is an emotional brutality when a marriage fails that far surpasses any physical demise we could experience. No sane person would ever invite this level of pain into their lives. Yet, it is all too common, and usually involves adultery. Ever wonder how good people wind up breaking their vow of faithfulness in marriage? In Dave Carder’s new book, Close Calls: What Adulterers Want You to Know About Protecting Your Marriage (Northfield Publishing, 2008), he identifies 19 risky behaviors that could put people on the path to adultery and the destruction of their marriage. On April 15, the Focus on the Family program featured Dave talking about these “risky behaviors” and I wanted to share them with you. My hope and prayer is that all of us will take an honest look at the other relationships we have in our lives to see if any of the 19 behaviors are present. And, if any are, that we would put a stop to them before they lead to the pain of a broken marriage.
PL