In the Sam way be considerate and treat them with respect. (1 Pet. 3:7)


THIS MORNING I DUG into the china cabinet to find a teacup and saucer. It’s an overcast day, the perfect kind of day for a pick-me-up cup of tea. Sipping the tea, I felt my gloomy mood lift, and I sighed.

I love a tea party. It’s a sweet occasion to slow the pace and pursue conversation. People treat each other gently at a tea party as they balance china, tea cakes, scones, and pastries. A mug says, “Hearty!” but a teacup whispers, “Be gentle.”

Peter instructed us to conform ourselves with pure and reverent behavior, displaying the beauty of a gentle and content attitude, doing what is right, and showing mutual respect. Drinking the smooth liquid, I wondered, could a tea party be a metaphor for marriage? If mugs and teacups represented husbands and wives, they might be a visual reminder of the need to handle the delicate cup with special consideration. When a mug and a teacup get married, each sees life from a different perspective. But it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. No, both have a unique role in the banquet. As coheirs at the table, mugs and teacups serve together. In the same way, we are not filled for our own purpose. Our purpose is to benefit another, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Choose to serve your spouse or those closest to you today.

Sally Ferguson and her husband enjoy treasure hunting together at garage sales.