The Black Refrigerator

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Ouch! I am still living with the consequences of demanding my own way in the kitchen! Mark and I have been married for nearly thirty years, and for most of our marriage we had a refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom. My tall, athletic husband (a former University of Virginia basketball player) always loved the convenience of that extra space in the middle of the refrigerator for his tall drinks—milk, OJ, and soft drinks.

When our twentysomething refrigerator lost its vim and vigor—and handle—we went shopping for a new one. All my daughter, Kali, and I could talk about was a side-by-side refrigerator because we were wowed by the ice and water dispenser in the door. Mark wasn’t so sure about that “fun” change. It was two strongly opinionated girls against one laid-back, kind man. Guess who won? Insisting on our own way, we eventually managed to wear Mark down. The side-by-side model was purchased and delivery arrangements made.

We didn’t win, though! Soon after the fridge was squeezed into the kitchen, I discovered that one side door was so close to the wall that I couldn’t open it enough to even slip a casserole dish inside. I’ll admit it: I still miss our old refrigerator! So does Mark, but he’s forgiven us for being stubbornly insistent and not thinking about his preference at all. It was a teachable moment for Kali and me.

In the same way, sin has consequences. But thanks be to God, He offers forgiveness to us too. He used a refrigerator to illustrate His truth to me.

Now, every time I walk into the kitchen, I’m reminded of the great grace of God and His forgiveness.

Do you need to apologize to someone because you demanded your own way? Try to do that soon and experience God’s incredible forgiveness.