Okay, we often say we make it legal ...and we call that 'marriage'.

And I said it's more than merely legally liking someone ...but, more of a commitment.

We commit to many things ...and to various degrees we commit to them, some of which don't seem like much of a commitment at all.

Marriage is not just a commitment ...and to the degree some commit to it, it doesn't warrant very high marks.

One of the greatest commitments is defending other people where we live.  This includes community police, and includes soldiers defending the nation where we live.  Yet, it also includes defending the integrity of both.

Many have defended our nation, including: my Dad, uncles, cousins, and friends ...some of whom were drafted, and others volunteered.  I have great respect and highly honor the integrity with which they served.

This is my perspective, though it is not shared by all.  Some have shown much disrespect for those who've served in the military.  And some rather defend those where they live ...defending the wrong that they do.

Everyone's life is important.  Much of the problem we have is with the idea of right and wrong ...and how we respond when it is us who is wrong, and how we respond when we feel others are wrong.  

The Golden Rule is a familiar reference for most people, as it seems rather clear that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  Many people say this is not in the Bible, but if you read the Book of Matthew, 7:12 ---it is referred to as the law of the prophets.

That being said, what I don't understand is how someone can defend a person's actions to destroy random property ...reasoning that to some degree they feel they've been wronged in this life. They must know that by destroying property there is someone employed to protect that property ...and what they rationalize as less violent will lead to increased violence.

So, yes, people do show great commitment in life ...yet, others commit to crime. Those kind of commitments are not good. 

Other commitments are rather neutral ...and I admire the Cleveland Brown fans who continue to commit to cheer on their team in this December of 2016 (as did some Detroit Lion fans in 2008, during their 0-16 season).

Someone who commits to do a movie overseas does not have the same claim as someone who goes overseas to defend our nation. And someone who fights in Congress to defend abortion, does not equal the commitment of one who fights terrorists aiming to abort or cut short all our lives.

I hear that a new show for the 2016 TV season has been a comedy-drama named Lucifer ...and is apparently very popular.  Speaking of wanting to cut our lives ...this is not a laughing matter to me, nor should it be glamorized or taken lightly.  I have never seen the show, but I did read a summary on it ...and I assume the show is popular partly because it does not represent Lucifer how he is, nor does it give an accurate depiction or representation of how things are.  Of course, that is not really an issue for most people because so many view him as just another fictitious character that the industry can depict any way they want ...as it is just entertainment, and not real anyway.

From what I read, I surmise that the TV show I mentioned attempts to appeal to all the wrong we do, and the fact that we may want a second chance.  It depicts Lucifer as getting tired of hell, as if he'd enjoyed being there, but tired of being the ruler and dictator ...and wanted to live on earth.  This probably doesn't create any discrepancies for those who either don't believe in God, or that He is not paying any attention to us here on earth ...and that Lucifer (or Satan, the devil) has not been showing any concern either.  

So, the show presents what they think is a unique concept ...and has Lucifer meet a compassionate and sympathetic woman, and he thinks he's in love?? And furthermore, the implications are that there is also still hope for his soul??

The only hope for us is through Jesus ...and does this Lucifer attempt to seek Him out as part of his pathway to repentance? It is true that I don't know, but I doubt the TV industry is going to present an already distorted reality into a story of correct facts, inclusive of a salvation message about Jesus.

Yes, when we seek for our own individual path and purpose in life, we should realize that it is individual, but not our own. And there is no such thing as group salvation ...and though we may feel we follow various paths, those individual leadings must converge to lead to One ...the individual of Jesus.

And speaking of purposes, I see two main purposes in life: to get to the point of accepting the truth of Jesus, and secondly, to tell others.

Neither of these would last long, nor be very effective without an organization that grows ...and sustains that growth, effectively teaching, yet, also learning, which also has its own union with designated rules to follow.  This union has an identity ...and it is called marriage.  And the organization is called a family.

When I began my career job with the State of Michigan, they decided that because people have a difficult time getting along much of the time ...that we needed diversity training.

Yes, some people need diversity training.  My concern was not struggling with getting along with others with a wide range of differences ...my focus was moral concerns, not in any inability to bring myself to a point of accepting anyone who isn't able to reach or clear the bar of expectations. My concern was more on how they'd perceive my own lack of participation in those activities ...because I was not going to abandon what I believed for what they may be offended by.  I don't like to offend, so if they were going to be offended, it was going to be for the right reasons.

So, like I said, the differences were not race, religion, or region of upbringing ...but, rather the upbringing of right and wrong.

I like people ...so, aside from major right and wrong issues, people should be able to get along.  God does not give us major rules for this.  Like I mentioned, we are told about the Golden Rule ...and you can also mark this done, it's in the Gospel according to Mark (12:30-31) where Jesus said to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength ...and to love our neighbor as ourself.  

Loving God should be easy, if we only understand what He has done for us. Jesus died on the cross.  If we love Him, we not only obey ...but hold it dear enough to want what He wants for us.

What does this have to do with marriage ...well, we don't have to get married, though it does do many things that work well for the organization, and when there are differences there are guidelines.  And if it seems I am focusing too much on the difficulties of marriage ...let me just say there are more guidelines to follow outside of marriage.  

You may ask why that is ...well, I believe that the best thing for a good marriage is the joining together of two single people who've followed the guidelines well.

If we can get beyond being set in our own ways, we can mature quite a bit.

Part of being mature is being thankful we can be mature.

Addressing difficulties positively, is clearly evident when we accept those difficulties as part of our giving ...not giving in to what is wrong, but giving our services when it's often difficult. The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver.

Cheerful or not, the biggest part is following God's guidelines. To accept God is to follow Him, and that includes following His guidelines and what He has said. 

And following does not mean always doing without fail, nor does it mean doing without mumbling ...as is clear in the parable Jesus told in the Gospel according to Matthew (21:28-31). Though we should attempt to not fail, we should certainly not justify our failures ...claiming, as we often do, that those things are not wrong.  And to minimize the mumbling would also be good.