The importance of being

“Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:21-24).

The first thing the single men and women should do in terms of preparing their marriage is to cultivate their own being.  Only then they will we be able to see the being of the other person (who he or she really is), not just his or her outward manifestation.  It is important that they continue to work on their being even after marriage.  Before marriage, where there is not much conflict, each other’s being is very much hidden.  But when they get married and live together, each other’s disguised being will be exposed through a lot of marital conflicts.  So they can see each other's being much better than before marriage.  When they prepare their marriage by focusing on each other's being and imitating Jesus Christ, they will be able to see how two sinners can live a marriage life by the grace of God.  We cannot think about our being separated from the love God.  As we are people of love, we can experience joy and happiness when we obey the Jesus’ twofold command of love God and love our neighbor.  But all the covered action of love that comes out from the absence of being is meaningless that can shake the foundation of marriage.  We have to be serious about the importance of being.  We should find our being in God’s being and imitate His Son Jesus.  As we do so, we must do the things that God does to us to our spouse in our marriage.