Marriage is not a game. It is an institution that was invented by God Himself to help accomplish His purpose on the Earth. The institution began with Adam and Eve and has evolved into what it is today.
These days, more than ever, people are still getting together and fulfilling God’s intent for man which is to be fruitful and multiply. But, before multiplication happens there first must be the joining of two people. This joining of two people requires proper preparation, maturity, and ultimately the dying of oneself in order to become one with another.
Let’s take a look at four Biblical traits of a person who is ready for marriage. When you see these traits in a potential spouse then you are headed in the right direction. If they are not present, that should be considered a red flag and you should proceed with caution.
1) Servant
Christ is the ultimate example of a person who was fully whole in his heart, soul, and mind. He lived a perfect life while on Earth even with temptation all around Him. The one trait Christ possessed that shone above all was his obedience to lower Himself into our World and not desire at all to be served, but to serve.
We find in Mark 10:45, Jesus stating, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” This is one of the greatest traits evident in a person who is ready for marriage.
This trait can be seen in many ways, but it’s mostly found in the small things. In order to be confident in serving, one has to be secure in his identity. When you find a person that has found joy in serving others then you have found one that would be a great potential spouse.
2) Quick to listen
Communication is a big part of marriage, and when one has not learned how to effectively communicate then marriage may be a bit challenging.
One of the key parts of being a great communicator is being an even better listener.
The Bible discusses this in James 1:19, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” What a powerful verse that really zones in on some great marriage qualities you want to find in a person.
3) Submissive
You see that word and may think this only applies to women – wrong. Being submissive is a trait that both a man and a woman should possess in order to be ready for marriage. Titus 3:1 says, “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good.”
A person who is submissive is secure enough to be told what to do and can follow leaders. It is the person that is unable to be told what to do and struggles with authority will make a very difficult spouse.
Because the Bible says that a husband and wife should be submissive unto one another. I am the priest of my home by responsibility, but I still submit my action, decisions, and concerns to my wife as we are equal partners in the managing of our home.
I respect my wife’s voice as my wife also respects mine. We work together as a team. Another way to see this trait is how a person treats their boss or any other person that is an authority over them.
4) Ability to Commit
This is one of the most important traits in a person that is ready for marriage. When the Bible says in Matthew 22:37, “ Jesus said to them, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” A person’s ability to commit to their relationship with God directly reflects a person’s ability to commit to a earthly relationship with a person.
A marital covenant is a divine commitment that is made between two people before God and man. Before a person makes that covenant with another person, they should’ve already made it with God and shown themselves faithful to God. This trait will tell you volumes about a person. Do they quit things easily? Do they have friendships that have lasted longer than 2 years? The ability to commit is a trait you want to see in your potential spouse for it is what brings the vow, “For better or for worse” to life.
BMWK, what other Biblical traits are important to be marriage ready?