A Three Dollar Argument

“Babe, did you take $53 bucks out over at the ATM near Publix”, I ask my husband as I balanced the check book. “yup”,  he stated as he fixed himself a sandwich. “Why did you take out 53 dollars, that’s an odd Number”, I asked.  “ I didn’t take out $53 dollars, I took out $50 dollars”, he said as he sank into the seat to have his sandwich. “ What, OK so you gave away $3.00, because you didn’t want to find the closest 5/3 bank!!! Steve,  How many times do I have to tell you not to use an ATM that’s not a part of our bank? Hey if you want to give $3.00 away that’s on you, but not on my watch buddy!” I could see my husband drop his head and he sighed “ Sorry honey , I really didn’t think about it”. I slowly began to get outraged, as this has happened so many times I can’t even count on all ten fingers and all ten toes!  “What is his problem, how hard is it to remember that the ATM’s not a part of your banks charge additional money? It’s not that he doesn’t remember he just doesn’t care.”, I thought.  Terrible thoughts filled my head, causing me to get even angrier. I begin to add up all of the money that we give away every time that he does this, and my only desire was to beat him up with these facts, because it’s what’s best for our family, right? 

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 

I think that we all have little quirks that can sometimes cause confusion but as God extends grace to us we need to do the same for our Spouses. The enemy is here to kill steal and destroy, and confusion is a doorway for him to come in. After I yelled at my husband, I began to look at what this $3.00 argument was worth. As the enemy began to plague my thoughts with negative ideas I had to stand on God’s word  and cast those thoughts down. I needed to understand my spouse. I was raised in a household where everything counted, My father is a financial wizard, so he knew how to save and spend money and he passed those things along to me. My husband lived in a carefree home, his life was about living, and certain things just weren’t that big of a deal.  As I got angrier God showed me how every day I make mistakes and not only does he forgive me, but he allows me to learn and grow from each incident. He extends his grace to me, why can’t I do the same for my spouse.

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

I decided that $3.00 was not worth creating confusion in my marriage! Don’t allow confusion to be the doorway for the enemy to creep in, have patience with your spouse and give some of those concerns to God. If we pray for our Spouses and learn to react as God does, we will see so much change in our marriages, and the enemy can stay beneath our feet! Besides, the carefree nature that my husband exhibits is something I need to learn how to do!