Marriage Monday - What's In It For Me?

We're talking about marriage...'what's in it for me?" As women, when we are looking for a mate, our thoughts might revolve around finding Mr. Right and how he will treat us. We need love, security, protection and attention.

But, any woman who has been a wife for a little while will quickly realize...it's not about you!! Although marriage is a give and take between two people, it is a lifelong pursuit to understand that marriage is about the one you married.

A recent article which has been floating around Facebook, shared some of the best marriage advice for those considering marriage. This comes from a father to his son. ..." I’m going to make this really simple: marriage isn’t for you. You don’t marry to make yourself happy, you marry to make someone else happy. More than that, your marriage isn’t for yourself, you’re marrying for a family. Not just for the in-laws and all of that nonsense, but for your future children. Who do you want to help you raise them? Who do you want to influence them? Marriage isn’t for you. It’s not about you. Marriage is about the person you married.”

No, a true marriage (and true love) is never about you. It’s about the person you love—their wants, their needs, their hopes, and their dreams. Selfishness demands, “What’s in it for me?”, while Love asks, “What can I give?”

We can all glean from this advice, those married, almost married, single, or even the sworn bachelor or bachelorette—marriage isn’t for you. No true relationship of love is for you. Love is about the person you love.

And, paradoxically, the more you truly love that person, the more love you receive. And not just from your significant other, but from their friends and their family and thousands of others you never would have met had your love remained self-centered.

Truly, love and marriage isn’t for you. It’s for others, to be a blessing and leave a legacy in your home and sphere of influence.

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