"BREAKING NEWS! #BREAKING NEWS!" "You'll be shocked to hear this." So went the words spoken on television by a well-known news host on her show a few days ago. I immediately thought "What could be happening now?" "What tragedy has occurred or what national threat is coming at us?" I wasn't exactly breathless, but I did want to hear what this "breaking news" consisted of.
Then, after about a 3 minute commercial, came the "breaking news." Another Hollywood marriage is ending in divorce. I was stunned! Almost shocked and chagrined by this astonishing announcement. I mean, who could have imagined that the marriage of another "Hollywood couple" would end in a divorce?
Well, speaking of "break" - give me one. Have we as a society deteriorated to the point that the divorce of two people who are paid lots of money for pretending to be someone else is considered "breaking news?" That two people from the Hollywood entertainment industry and culture have ended their 5 year old marriage in which they have a 6 year old child (you do the math) and this is deserving of being headline news" I repeat - GIMME A BREAK!
And I'm not really sure where to assign blame here for this situation. Is it the media's fault for arousing interest in these types of events and making the public think this is important - OR - is it the public's fascination with such events that causes the media to report them in the manner that they do? You decide for yourself.
Now I didn't go out of my way to follow this "breaking" story, but I did hear enough reported as to what was the primary cause for the break up. It was reported that there was a difference in their respective "religious" beliefs. If this reporting is true I think we can use this event to develop a short, spiritual lesson today.
I think that it can perhaps help us to better understand the principle of something the apostle Paul said in 2Cor. 6:14 about being "unequally yoked." By looking at our ill-fated Hollywood couple I think we'll be able to see a good example of how the "unequal yoking" is not a good basis for success in partnerships or other close or intimate endeavors. How disastrous it can be for two people to be "yoked" together even if both sides of the "yoke" is a false doctrine.
Again, I think we can use this marriage breakup as a prime example of the principle being pointed out by Paul in 2Cor. the 6th chapter. The basic precept or principle seen there is; that two opposing ways of thinking, which directs conduct, is detrimental to the union or partnership.
If we take what Paul says and combine it with the recent, earth-shattering news regarding our failed Hollywood marriage, I think we can draw a spiritual lesson from this combination. At least I'm going to give it a try.
My aim in this lesson is to define the precept given us in 2 Cor. 6:14-18 and it, basically, is this: that a Christian shouldn't place themselves in a close and intimate relationship with those who don't share the same spiritual goals that a Christian has.
Just as "unequal yokings" are a bad prescription for success in social or business affairs, this same principle of "unequal yoking" is a poor prescription for Christian unity and affairs of the soul.
Perhaps it would help with our lesson thoughts today to look at some scriptures that speak to being "equally yoked." That teach us what "equal yoking" is. The first one that comes to mind is something Paul said in Phil. 2:2: "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."
The apostle Paul actually touched on this subject quite a lot in his epistles and in Rom. 15:5 we find him again saying that Christians should be "like-minded." In his prayer closing 2 Corinthians he prays that they would "be of one mind." Be "equally yoked" he could be saying.
We earlier read Paul's presentation of the principle of being "unequally yoked" in 2 Cor. 6, but he also covered it in Gal. 5:17 using different words but having the same meaning. In this passage he provides us a good picture of what being "unequally yoked" is in a spiritual sense. Please read that verse as I paraphrase it here: he says that the "flesh" (the world or the carnal) is opposed to the "Spirit." That they are "contrary" to each other. Because of this opposition, this contrariness, things that should be done "cannot be done." In other words, this "yoking" will not allow success for the Christian.
One more thought just came to me regarding our aforementioned Hollywood couple. I think the reason so many people are fascinated by the affairs and activities of celebrities and entertainers is that they look at their seemingly glamorous, exciting lives and then they vicariously tie their lives to theirs. That's just my opinion and you are certainly entitled to yours.
But, thinking of this, I recalled a quotation I once read given by a 90 year old newspaper reporter offering lessons he'd learned during his career. One of these was: "Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about."
We know what a Christian's journey is about and that is where we should center our thoughts.
In closing, here's one more little thought on marriage. Someone once opined that Adam and Eve must have had a great marriage. She didn't have to hear about what a great cook his mother was and he didn't have to hear about how many other men she could have married.
Ron Covey
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