Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)

We are different from each other as spouses. One of us may be laid back and tend to go with the flow, while the other might be very punctual, even to the point of being compulsive about being on time. One of us may be flexible – maybe even a little oblivious to details – while the other may be outgoing and likes lots of attention. When we get stressed, these differences between us can make us think of our spouse – from our own perspective – as impatient, critical, and loud. Those character traits are difficult for us to accept.

Accepting doesn’t mean condoning someone’s behavior. It simply means looking deeper than someone’s actions to see that person’s true worth, just as God does with us when He sees our sin. Christ looked beyond Zacchaeus’s selfishness and greed and offered kindness and warmth. Jesus separated Peter’s impulsiveness and cowardly betrayal from his worth. Christ talked with the woman at the well, a woman who lived year after year in habitual sin, and offered her freedom because He saw her need for unconditional love.

Have we ever been selfish or greedy in our marriage? Undoubtedly! We’ve even cheated our spouse out of undivided attention and stolen their joy at times. Have we ever acted without thinking or spoken without caution? Absolutely! Have we ever betrayed a confidence or trust? Are there sins we live with year after year? Yes!

And yet, despite these imperfections and sins, God still accepts us and offers us kindness and compassion.

As we look beyond our spouse’s manner, our gratitude for them as a special and loving helpmate continues to grow. But that happens only as we remind ourselves of how Christ accepts us despite our own shortcomings.

Q. In what ways can we continually remind ourselves of our spouse’s worth, despite their imperfections?

May this devotion help us to grow as a couple in our unconditional acceptance of each other.