We’ve all seen this … sometime during a game … the jumbo screen flashes to a couple and the fans watch as a young man gets out a small box with a big ring and asks his girlfriend to marry him. After they hug or kiss, the fans in the stands erupt into cheers and applause.
Well this week… during a big game between two huge rivals … the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox … in the bottom of the ninth … a young man got down on his knee right behind home plate and proposed … in front of national TV cameras! And not a word was spoken. (You can watch the video here)
Here’s what captured my attention … that this proposal of marriage didn’t capture anyone else’s attention (only a handful of fans applauded). The players didn’t notice … the announcers were silent … the peanut vendor kept selling peanuts!
I’m not an alarmist, but I can’t help but see this as a commentary on the state of marriage in our culture today. Statistics reveal that marriage is on the decline. It is mocked in our media and feared by an emerging generation.
This trend should concern all of us who profess to be Christians. The unbreakable covenant relationship between a husband and wife is the most powerful earthly picture of God’s unconditional love for us. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we, the Church, are His bride.
When marriage is minimized, mocked and maligned … the image, nature and character of God is too. So let’s be thinking about what we can do as married couples to show the fans in our spheres of influence what the love of God looks like lived out in front of them.
Here’s some “Knee to Knee, Nose to Nose” questions to help get you started … share your answers in the comments section below …
- How have you demonstrated the positives of being married to your children?
- What do you do to promote the positive aspects of marriage to your work colleagues? (example. Don’t refer to your spouse in a derogatory manner…)
- What would your neighbors think about God because of your marriage?
(For the record … the batter grounded out … let’s pray that this young couple hits a “home run!”)
