I’m finally reading through Gary and Betsy Ricucci’s marriage book, Love That Lasts. I’ve been meaning to read through it for a few years now. It’s full of biblical encouragement, personal examples, and practical insights.
Here’s a section I read to my wife just this morning. This excerpt alone, as they say, is “worth the price of the book”.
- Pride loves to talk, reveling in every self-exalting form of self-expression
- Pride is quite content with what it already knows.
- Pride assumes I already understand everything I need to.
- Pride assumes I don’t need help.
- Pride sinfully judges others by assuming they will respond negatively or unhelpfully if I am open.
- Pride uses conversation as broadcast time.
- Pride doesn’t need a spouse, just an audience.
- Pride denies what the gospel reveals about our seriously sinful condition (Proverbs 10:19; Gal 5:17)
Whenever Betsy poses a question or concern about my tone of voice, manner of speech, or choice of words, and my first response is to “explain” or “defend” rather than ask a lot of questions about what she heard, invariably I am confirming her concern and am guilty of pride.In contrast humility yearns to learn, because it recognizes its deficiencies (Prov 12:15).
- Humility asks questions and loves dialogue.
- Humility has never found someone it couldn’t learn something from.
- Humility assumes there is always more to learn about anything.
- Humility assumes I need others.
- Humility would rather be open and vulnerable than closed and independent.
- Humility uses conversation with a spouse to explore new worlds.
- Humility puts energy and effort into listening.
- Humility treats a spouse as a fellow traveler on the road of biblical wisdom.
- Humility that leads to intimacy takes an interest in one’s spouse as a gift from God.
- Humility believes what the gospel says about our desperate need for God and his grace – after we’re saved as well as before. -Gary and Betsy Ricucci, Love That Lasts, p.70-71
