A Portrait of Pettiness

This morning while I was enjoying my breakfast I came across a story in one of my all time favorite collections of books. The Book of Virtues highlights many wonderful classics. Lately, I have been sharing some of the stories with the girls. They really enjoy the stories and it encourages us to talk about the moral or the lesson to be learned. Some are just fun stories but many times, like the one I read this morning, it truly opens my eyes to something that needs to change in my own life.

A commentary from William J. Bennett before the story reads: (pp.215-216)
This tale appears in different versions all over the world, from Sri Lanka to Scotland. This version warns us that pettiness can cause us to forget our obligations.

The story reads as follows:

There was once a young man who was said to be the most pigheaded fellow in town, and a young woman who was said to be the most mule-headed maiden, and of course they somehow managed to fall in love and be married. After the wedding ceremony, they had a grand feast at their new house, which lasted all day.

Finally all the friends and relatives could eat no more, and one by one they went home. The bride and groom collapsed from exhaustion, and were just getting ready to take off their shoes and relax, when the husband noticed that the last guest to leave had failed to close the door.

"My dear, " he said, "would you mind getting up and shutting the door? There's a draft coming in."

"Why should I shut it?" yawned the wife. "I've been on my feet all day, and I just sat down. You shut it."

"So that's the way it's going to be!" snapped the husband. "Just as soon as you get the ring on your finger, you turn into a lazy good-for-nothing!"

"How dare you!" shouted the bride. "We haven't even been married a day, and already you're calling me names and ordering me around! I should have known this is the kind of husband you'd turn out to be!"

"Nag, nag, nag," grumbled the husband. "Must I listen to your complaining forever?"

"And must I always listen to your carping and whining?" asked the wife.

They sat glaring at each other for a full five minutes. Then an idea popped into the bride's head.

"My dear," she said, "neither of us wants to shut the door, and both of us are tired of hearing the other's voice. So I propose a contest. The one who speaks first must get up and close the door."

"It's the best idea I've heard all day, " replied the husband. "Let us begin now."

So they made themselves comfortable, each on a chair, and sat face-to-face without saying a word.

They had been that way for about two hours when a couple of thieves with a cart passed by and saw the open door. they crept into the house, which seemed perfectly deserted, and began to steal everything they could lay their hands on. they took tables and chairs, pulled paintings off the walls, and even rolled up carpets. But the newlyweds neither spoke nor moved.

"I can't believe this, " thought the husband. "They'll take everything we own, and she won't make a sound."

"Why doesn't he call for help?" the wife asked herself. "Is he just going to sit there while they steal whatever they want?"

Eventually the thieves noticed the silent, motionless couple and mistaking them for wax figures, stripped them of their jewelry, watches, and wallets. But neither husband nor wife uttered a sound.

The robbers hurried away with their loot, and the newlyweds sat through the night. At dawn a policeman walked by and, noticing the open door, stuck in his head to ask if everything was all right. But, of course, he couldn't get an answer out of the silent couple.

"Now, see here!" he yelled, "I'm an officer of the law! Who are you? Is this your house? What happened to all your furniture?" And still getting no response, he raised his hands to box the man's ears.

"Don't you dare!" cried the wife, jumping to her feet. "That's my new husband, and if you lay a finger on him, you'll have to answer to me!"

"I won!" yelled the husband, clapping his hands. "Now go and close the door."



Although this seems a bit far-fetched, I find myself thinking back over times that I have been very petty with Duane. Is my marriage really that shallow that I would act like this? I had been struggling this morning with my thoughts over feeling that I was entitled to something, which I see now the Lord used this story to wake me up to my selfishness. It doesn't matter what the silly little issues are over, it is a matter of seeing my marriage for what it is worth. The thieves remind me of what Satan wants to do in our lives, our marriages. God's word says that he is a thief and he comes only to steal, kill and destroy. What ground do I allow him when I act like this?

I don't want my life to miss what fulfillment the Lord wants to bring. I realize that in order to fight the pettiness, I need to be willing to die to myself over and over. My marriage is definitely worth the work and sacrifice that we have put into it and I am willing to continue to fight against what Satan has planned for it in order to honor the Lord.