🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽So far, we have looked at three toxic attitudes that choke marriages, and they are based on the first three letters of our acronym, ISLAND.

🚘Today, by God’s grace, we shall go a step further as we look at “A,” which stands for “Arrogance” in the acronym ISLAND.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽ARROGANCE
Arrogance is defined by an online dictionary as “an overbearing and insulting attitude that comes from believing you are better, smarter, or more important than other people.” This nasty and repulsive disposition can be found in either a man or a woman.

🚒It is characterised by a false sense of superiority, an unteachable spirit, and a haughty heart that is dismissive of others. It is a sickening behaviour that many people cannot bear or put up with, and that is why it can be destructive to a marriage.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽WHAT MARRIAGE IS
In marriage, spouses are meant to dwell together in oneness, mutual respect, and reciprocal recognition and esteem of one another’s unique gifts, abilities, and worth.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽ARROGANCE FORBIDDEN
Whoever we are, the Bible tells us:

📖“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

🛟This verse is saying that, whoever you are, you must not have an inflated view of yourself. Don’t overestimate yourself and assume that you are better than others. It tells us to think soberly and sanely, and to recognise that others are also gifted by God, and not just you alone.

⛽It means there should be no room for ego or self-conceit in our lives.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽YOUR POSITION AND POSSESSIONS ARE GIFTS
God’s Word also tells us in another place:

📖“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

🚗This verse makes it clear that your personality, parentage, bloodline,  position, and possessions are all gifts you have received and are not of your own making. And so, you have no reason to be bloated with pride and to be floating in the home like a disgusting balloon of hydrogen sulfide that smells like rotten eggs.

🚗Do you have a collection of amazing paper qualifications from some of the best universities in the world? That’s great, but it shouldn’t make you exhibit pompousness in your relationship with your spouse. Why? Because in marriage, they are absolutely of no relevance. Matrimony does not require your curriculum vitae because it is not an extension of the labour market. Within its hallowed walls, you and your spouse are covenant lovers, and there is no room for arrogance on the grounds of your educational attainments.

🛻Are you from a wealthy or royal family while your mate is an offspring of lowly peasants? In marriage, there is absolutely no room for showing off your parentage or bloodline. Hear what the Bible says:

📖“Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house;

📖So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.” (Psalm 45:10–11)

🔴Once married, you are in a completely new domain where your parentage and family heritage do not count as you relate with your spouse, because you are now one flesh.

🟥Psalm 45:10, cited above, commands each spouse to “forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house.” When you are married, forget your old identity; this is why wives take on a new surname on the very day they get married. And even though the man does not change his surname, his commitment and allegiance should be with his spouse, as they have become a brand-new unit that God wants to use to do something new on the earth.

🚘This is just like the way He used Abraham and Sarah to do something new on the earth, as is so evident today in the existence of Israel, a nation that has given the world geniuses and inventions that continue to positively advance humanity.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽LEAVE FAMILY PARAPHERNALIA
And when God commanded that spouses leave their parents in Genesis 2:24, it also implies not bringing family badges and paraphernalia into the marriage for use in intimidating your spouse!

🚒And in commanding spouses to cleave to each other, it implies embracing your marriage partner, in spite of their seeming disadvantages, and joyfully becoming part of their identity, and vice versa. When we truly practise this, there will be no incidents of one spouse exhibiting arrogance and putting their mate down.

🚗🛻🚘🚒🛟⛽CONCLUSION
In Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, we see a clear revelation of what a marriage ought to be: it should be like the relationship between Christ and the Church.

🛟In the union of Christ and the Church, there is no trace of arrogance, superiority, or domination.

⛽Even though Christ is Lord and Possessor of all things, He doesn’t have the Church bowing, kneeling, and grovelling before Him. What do we see instead? He has lifted the Church up and made her a joint-heir with Himself. He has made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places. He has given us His name, authority, and power to exercise over the enemy. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He has done so much more for us!

🚗Similarly, spouses are to share with their mate the special and peculiar blessings from their backgrounds, and not to use those blessings to insult, reproach, and humiliate their partner, consequently making them cry and regret marrying them.

🛻I once spent a night in the home of a dear brother who married a lady from a wealthy family. She made their home rich with the wealth from her family, but there was absolutely no trace of arrogance, pride, haughtiness, or an air of superiority around her. All I could see was a plain, self-effacing, and meek Christian sister. And this is how it should be.

❤️Are you an arrogant spouse? Sincerely repent of it today, or else it will slowly but surely ruin your marriage!🚗🛻

💕♥️Tonight’s Bedroom Assignment: Re-read this devotional together just before bedtime and discuss it with open and sincere hearts.

 ✝️Altar Call: Jesus Christ is calling you! Come to Him today in genuine repentance. Believe in Him and be saved!

🧪⚗️Scientific Info To Boost Your Marriage:
🔬”Oysters are one of the richest dietary sources of zinc, which supports testosterone production, sperm health, and reproductive function. A deficiency in zinc can impair sexual health and hormone balance.”🔬

📢HALLELUJAH!
🎷PRAISE THE LORD!

🚨Please, share the LINK of this devotional message to at least TEN of your married friends and contacts!!🚨