Joyce and I have been on the wedding circuit this month. It seems like all of our friend's children decided to get married this summer. In the period of a little over a month, we will attend four weddings. Right now we have two down and two to go. Let me tell you about the first two.
The families and weddings had some similarities and some differences. Both families are all boys. Both sets of parents are committed to the Lord. In both cases, it is my understanding that the financial burden of the wedding fell on the newlyweds. One of the weddings was on the east coast and one was on the west coast.
The one on the east coast was an incredibly grand event by the world's standard. Everything was unquestionably first class. From the hors d'oeuvres, to the beverages, to the dresses, to the venue, to the cake,wedding favors and flowers; nothing but first class or better. The honeymoon continued with the same theme with one week in Hawaii and another in California.
I have no idea what the cost of the wedding was, but if I took Joyce out on an evening like that, our individual bill for the meal alone would be well over a hundred dollars. Multiply that times the approximately 200 people and add the cost of the flowers, cake, dresses etc. etc. and your mind is boggled by your guesstimate of the cost.
I would not be surprised if when the east coast couple returns from their honeymoon there will be a significant pile of bills to be paid and credit card balances to be dealt with.
Last weekend we attended the west coast wedding. It also was a grand and glorious event. But it was very different. The venue was very nice but certainly not excessive. The hors d'oeuvres and beverages were limited to homemade ice tea, Country Time lemonade, coffee and water. The food was delicious and completely prepared by the bride's family. The flowers and dresses were beautiful, but certainly not extravagant. The honeymoon took place less than 100 miles from the wedding and was over within 3 days.
My guess is that most of this wedding was paid in full and there was little if anything to be paid after the honeymoon.
Next Monday, both couples will be back in their homes starting their married lives together. Both couples will start to work through the many different issues in their marriages. Both couples will have different ideas about when to buy a home, when to start a family and what the future holds for their lives.
But my guess is that one thing will be different. The west coast couple will work through these issues and make their decisions based on their understanding of God's will for their lives and their love for each other.
The east coast couple will need to deal with the additional issue of the debt from the wedding. Their choices right from the start will be controlled by the need to pay off these debts. It will affect where they can live, where and how much they work and someday it may even determine if one parent will be able to stay home with a newborn child. Put very simply, their decisions are not totally theirs, because they are in bondage to their creditors.
I am not saying that one wedding was right and the other was wrong. They are different couples and not exactly in the same place in life. I care very deeply for both of these couples and will continue to care for them and pray for them no matter what choices they make.
But what I am saying is that the Bible is extremely practical and applicable to our lives today. This is especially true for newlyweds. It warns us about the dangers of financial bondage. (Proverbs 22:7).
Be careful of buying into the world's economy and the financial bondage that comes with it. Freedom from the stress of financial bondage is part of God's economy. (Proverbs 10:22) This is an important lesson for all of us, but especially those just getting married.
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