When our Children were just starting grade school, we decided to purchase a tropical fish aquarium. It came with a pump and filter and some decorations so the environment for the fish would look natural.
Wanting a nice variety of fish we selected some Angel Fish, Zebra fish, some Black Molly fish and a Plecostomus. Ugly as he was, he would help clean the sides of our tank. Our children would stare at these fish for hours it seemed, and just watching them was relaxing even for me.
As I watched these fish I noticed something interesting. Each variety of fish would swim together. Although they were friendly to one another, the Black Molly fish and the Angel fish, and the Zebra fish each kept to their own type. There was no interbreeding or mixing of the fish. They each seemed to be proud of their own kind.
In the Bible, God forbid his children of Israel to give their sons and daughters unto other nations. They were to keep their race pure. That was plan A.
Now don’t get me wrong, because God loves all races, and that was evident when He included Ruth the Moabite woman to be in the linage of Jesus along with some others of questionable reputation. In fact God became very angry at Miriam when she criticized Moses, her brother’s Ethiopian (black) wife.
God always has plan A which is his perfect will. Then there is plan B which is his acceptable will, and plan C which is his good will. God will even go with you all the way to Z if you are that rebellious.
I said all that to say this: Our youth leaders at our church, invited a young girl from a neighboring Black church to work with our youth. She was Caucasian, fun loving, very outgoing and the youth all liked her.
One day she confessed to our daughter that she was pregnant by one of the black brothers in her church and they were going to get married. My daughter came to me very upset, because this girl was an example to our children and they all looked up to her.
By the next Sunday the girl had resigned and returned to her Black church.
If you are wondering, yes I phoned our Pastor and told him the situation and he took charge after that.
Did my children need protecting? Probably not, because often our children know more about life than we did at their age.
However it is up to parents to attend the PTA meetings and to know what is going on at school, and also to be aware of what is being taught to your children at church.
I am not pregidous, but I am opinionated, and it is my strong opinion that a marriage will be off to a rocky start if it is a “mixed marriage.”
When I say mixed, in addition to race, I mean by a Christian and an unbeliever, by culture, church denomination, political affiliation and background in general. Marriage is difficult enough without a road block in it's beginning.
I know you are ready to point out some of your friends who are very happy and never quarrel over doctrine, or are never shunned by friends because of their choice in a mate. Be happy for them and also pray for them, because they probably need your prayers.
Thinking back to my fish aquarium, I am reminded that my fish were friendly with everyone in their environment. They played nice and got along well with others.
It would be good if we all could do the same.
Linking with Jennifer at God Bumps and Incidences Wednesdays
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| image courtesy photobucket |
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| image courtesy photobucket |
As I watched these fish I noticed something interesting. Each variety of fish would swim together. Although they were friendly to one another, the Black Molly fish and the Angel fish, and the Zebra fish each kept to their own type. There was no interbreeding or mixing of the fish. They each seemed to be proud of their own kind.
In the Bible, God forbid his children of Israel to give their sons and daughters unto other nations. They were to keep their race pure. That was plan A.
Now don’t get me wrong, because God loves all races, and that was evident when He included Ruth the Moabite woman to be in the linage of Jesus along with some others of questionable reputation. In fact God became very angry at Miriam when she criticized Moses, her brother’s Ethiopian (black) wife.
God always has plan A which is his perfect will. Then there is plan B which is his acceptable will, and plan C which is his good will. God will even go with you all the way to Z if you are that rebellious.
I said all that to say this: Our youth leaders at our church, invited a young girl from a neighboring Black church to work with our youth. She was Caucasian, fun loving, very outgoing and the youth all liked her.
One day she confessed to our daughter that she was pregnant by one of the black brothers in her church and they were going to get married. My daughter came to me very upset, because this girl was an example to our children and they all looked up to her.
By the next Sunday the girl had resigned and returned to her Black church.
If you are wondering, yes I phoned our Pastor and told him the situation and he took charge after that.
Did my children need protecting? Probably not, because often our children know more about life than we did at their age.
However it is up to parents to attend the PTA meetings and to know what is going on at school, and also to be aware of what is being taught to your children at church.
I am not pregidous, but I am opinionated, and it is my strong opinion that a marriage will be off to a rocky start if it is a “mixed marriage.”
When I say mixed, in addition to race, I mean by a Christian and an unbeliever, by culture, church denomination, political affiliation and background in general. Marriage is difficult enough without a road block in it's beginning.
I know you are ready to point out some of your friends who are very happy and never quarrel over doctrine, or are never shunned by friends because of their choice in a mate. Be happy for them and also pray for them, because they probably need your prayers.
Thinking back to my fish aquarium, I am reminded that my fish were friendly with everyone in their environment. They played nice and got along well with others.
It would be good if we all could do the same.
Linking with Jennifer at God Bumps and Incidences Wednesdays
10 comments:
I hope God doesn't have to go all the way to Z for me!!!
I hope God doesn't have to go all the way to Z for me!
Wow. You have a lot of different thoughts going on here. My favorite is the one about God's having many plans after Plan A. I couldn't agree more. God can redeem any situation, and to suggest otherwise is a lie. The key is to invite Him into it.
I agree there is much stress with marriage, being unequally yoked being the most difficult. Too bad we can't see each other the way God see us... but that's what makes us human.
There was a youth leader at one of the big churches that many of my lacrosse girls went to, he just committed suicide a couple of months ago... Talk about shaking the girls Christian world... We need to protect our youth and we never know who we might need to be watching out for, only seeking God and maybe being a little over protective is a good thing...
Sure major differences in marriage right off the start may make for some difficulties. But imagine how much stronger those marriages can become in overcoming such obstacles. Much more than those who have "had it easy". Imagine loving through trials, imagine the unshakable trust that follows, imagine the power of that relationship to move mountains. That's my kind of love. :)
Being unequally yoked is not a great way to begin a marriage -but bi-racial is not a problem in my opinion. My pastor and his wife are bi-racial and married for forty-five years, many of the families in our church are bi-racial and multicultural. Their kids are great and our church is vibrant and a great place to be. Check out my blog for pictures of our church (http://www.xanga.com/wondering04) - click on the images for Passover on the left column and you will see a gathering.
I was unsaved and did not like God when I married my Christian husband - he want to raise our children Catholic - I obeyed, hating God, then became born again. We now are more equally yoked - multi denominational. He lets me do things with the Charismatic church I belong with and I attend Mass with him. We are friends with all the pastors and are active in church.
God did a great healing.
Other than not being focused on following the Lord, to me nothing else counts. In my case, which didn't fit into the social mix back when my husband and I were put together by the Lord, our age difference really caught attention. I'm 14 years older than Dave; our backgrounds also extremely opposite in many ways. And yet the Lord called us. And it has blessed a lot of people... and we have been overwhelmingly blessed by Him and others. So, to me, the key has always been His call. Bi-racial has also been a significant part of my family and others for many years, long before it was accepted socially. Anyhow, to me, again, the question is "What does the Lord want"? That's all that counts.
You are most fortunate to be among friends who all get along together. Not always that way in some cases.
God has so many work arounds and it is amazing how he puts people together as man and wife. When God is glorified that is all that matters!
Hazel ... I had come by earlier in the week to read your contribution, but must have forgotten to comment. I just wanted to thank you for being a part of The High Calling's "I Do" writing project. I always appreciate seeing your name in the linky.
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