Hi-fi Relationships
If you look up fidelity in the dictionary, you will come up with both of these definitions; one being, "faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support" and another is, "the degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced." The term, "hifi" is an abbreviation for high fidelity and it is particularly referring to the second definition in regards to speakers and sound systems. High fidelity sound systems are meant to create something as close to the original sound as possible, as if it was live music. Picture walking into the venue where your favorite band is performing and a thrill rushes through you, you’re surrounded by genuine excitement of the audience. They start to play and their voices are raw, unedited and pure. It’s impossible not to appreciate their incredible talent. Or picture a cathedral resonating with the angelic voices of a mass choir. The sound bounces from wall to wall and their dynamics rest upon the congregation with beautiful emphasis. The harmony creates an overtone that cannot be captured in any recording. And their faces display a personal connection as they sing about their Savior. A concert hall where a symphony creates the miracle of combined talents and instruments will have the same effect. Live music is not even comparable to a simple recording because it’s an actual experience versus a stimulus. So how can we create a high-fidelity marriage relationship? I would define a high-fidelity marriage relationship as a connection that has grown over time on a basis of trust, commitment and love.
Trust
Trust is developed over time after a series of opportunities to prove trustworthiness.
Commitment
A high-fidelity marriage requires the commitment and effort of each spouse. If you think about a harvest, you reap what you sow. So the more effort you can put into developing this relationship, the better quality it will be. Committing to a spouse means only having eyes for them. Christ preached about this in the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5:28, he said, “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Visual affairs almost always lead to emotional and physical affairs. Putting all of ones focus on their spouse will establish a commitment based relationship and increase the love and trust within it as well.
Love
Love is so much more than lust, arousal, or excitement. It is not just a feeling. Love is what is behind the feeling, a appreciation and respect for another that influences behavior such as staying true and trustworthy, continuous service and affirmation and commitment even when the feeling isn’t there. High-fidelity marriages are built on this and you could say that love encompasses all other factors such as trust and commitment. Christ is the perfect example of pure love. And such love us the love each spouse deserves from each other. It is unconditional and selfless. It suffereth long and is kind and not puffed up, it envieth not and valueth not itself, it thinketh no evil and rejoiceth not in iniquity but in truth, it bareth all things, believeth all things and hopeth all things... and unlike lust, it never fails ( 1 Corinthians 13). I believe that love is more of a choice than anything. It is not something people “fall” in and out of. It is not simply natural, it is divine. Comparable to a live concert versus an edited recording. If marriages have the potential to be based on this pure love, why should we waste time on things that are based on lust and infatuation?
Trust
Trust is developed over time after a series of opportunities to prove trustworthiness.
Commitment
A high-fidelity marriage requires the commitment and effort of each spouse. If you think about a harvest, you reap what you sow. So the more effort you can put into developing this relationship, the better quality it will be. Committing to a spouse means only having eyes for them. Christ preached about this in the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5:28, he said, “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Visual affairs almost always lead to emotional and physical affairs. Putting all of ones focus on their spouse will establish a commitment based relationship and increase the love and trust within it as well.
Love
Love is so much more than lust, arousal, or excitement. It is not just a feeling. Love is what is behind the feeling, a appreciation and respect for another that influences behavior such as staying true and trustworthy, continuous service and affirmation and commitment even when the feeling isn’t there. High-fidelity marriages are built on this and you could say that love encompasses all other factors such as trust and commitment. Christ is the perfect example of pure love. And such love us the love each spouse deserves from each other. It is unconditional and selfless. It suffereth long and is kind and not puffed up, it envieth not and valueth not itself, it thinketh no evil and rejoiceth not in iniquity but in truth, it bareth all things, believeth all things and hopeth all things... and unlike lust, it never fails ( 1 Corinthians 13). I believe that love is more of a choice than anything. It is not something people “fall” in and out of. It is not simply natural, it is divine. Comparable to a live concert versus an edited recording. If marriages have the potential to be based on this pure love, why should we waste time on things that are based on lust and infatuation?
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