Nugget #1

"Mercy sweetens marriage"
-Dave Harvey, When Sinners Say I Do, p. 80

If you were anxiously awaiting what the first nugget would be and expecting something uniquely profound and demonstrating a deep astuteness with the english language (all one, maybe two, of you)...well, sorry. It's short and pretty simple, but it is something I recently came across that has had an immense impact on me.

Our intergenerational Care group at church once a month has a couples night strictly for married couples (singles have their own event that week) and we are currently going through this book. The topic of this month's chapter...mercy, and let's just say this chapter hit the spot.

Mercy goes entirely against what a self-indulgent culture tells you to do, yet it is so foundational for a healthy, thriving marriage. In reading this chapter, it was personally convicting and personally inspiring. God really opened my eyes, showing me areas where this was absent in my life and my marriage. If you want a simple, yet challenging task in marriage, ask yourself- how can I show mercy to my spouse today...and not in a self-righteous sense (and puff yourself up for being 'uber-Christian'), or doing so expecting results to occur (and then getting upset if they don't), or doing so in hopes that the person will notice. Do it because strictly out of a means to extend mercy that God has given you. Do it rooted in wanting to extend mercy as a means to display Christ-centered love. And if you really want a challenge- ask yourself the same question again tomorrow.

I'll finish with another quote from the book (consider this nugget 1.5)
"Mercy doesn't change the need to speak truth. It transforms our motivation from a desire to win battles to a desire to represent Christ. It takes me out of the center and puts Christ in the center." Good stuff.