The value of your wedding ring

May 22, 2019

“The Wedding Ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond, which unites two loyal hearts in endless love.

OPINION

 
By Ivan Naijuka 
 
As someone who works in church, I see a lot of weddings. It's one of my favorite days of the week. I get to the gallery and observe one of the most beautiful milestone moments a couple will ever experience.
 
I love watching the groom trying to choke back tears when he gets the first glimpse of his bride walking down the aisle.
 
I love how the couple barely hears a word the clergy says during the whole ceremony because they're blissfully lost in each other's eyes and in the magnitude of the moment.
 
One of the most profound parts of the ceremony happens when the Best Man and the Matron hand to the clergy the wedding rings. The clergy most times places the rings in the middle of the order of the service and talks about how beautiful they are. 
 
"The Wedding Ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond, which unites two loyal hearts in endless love.
 
It is a seal of the vows the couple will make to one another. We ask God's blessing on these rings that the couple, who give them, and who wear them, may ever abide in Gods peace" he says.  
 
Thereafter, I enjoy watching the couple nervously placing the rings on each other's hands and stare at them with a look that says, "I am never taking this off!"
 
It saddens me that so many couples do take them off. Sometimes it happens because of very practical reasons like skin conditions or work environments that aren't conducive to jewelry, but most of the time, a person simply prefers not to wear it and invents justifications for why it's not really important. Just like Frodo and the Hobbits learned in Tolkien's novel "The Lord of the Rings", sometimes a ring can have a lot more significance than you see on the surface!
 
The wedding ring is a symbolism of many unending promises; love, and commitment. The ring has been a symbol of many things to many people. First of all, the ring is created of a material that will never tarnish, symbolizing your love as it is today will stay forever untarnished. The ring is created also in a perfect circle; it has no end, signifying that your love for each other will remain forever, without end.
 
The ring is, of course, a universal sign to the outside world that the wearer is committed to another. To the individual, the ring provides a tangible reminder of the marriage union and the promises that have been made. Whether or not you're wearing a ring is one of the first things people notice when they meet you and they'll often make assumptions about your availability and your commitment to your marriage based on the ring's presence or absence.
 
Your ring is a daily reminder to you that every decision you make will impact your spouse in some way. A ring is a tangible symbol of the permanent place your spouse should hold in your heart, your schedule and every part of your life. From the moment you said, "I do," every aspect of your life is now connected to your spouse. You're "One" according to the Bible. Everything you do with your time, your words, your money, etc. will impact him/her in some way so the ring is a simple reminder that everything you touch will touch your marriage.
 
A ring is a symbol of respect for your spouse. Respect in marriage isn't measured only by what we say. It's often the silent acts and actions that speak the loudest. Respect in marriage is communicated constantly, since marriage is a constant relationship. The ring is one simple way to communicate that respect especially when your spouse has asked you to wear it and/or communicated that it's important to them. If your spouse has asked you to wear it, and you consistently deny their request, then you are consistently communicating disrespect and disregard for his/her feelings.
 
Your ring is a first line of defense against infidelity. A ring isn't a fail-proof safeguard against infidelity, and it's certainly a simple first line of defense. Wearing a ring faintly communicates the message that, "I'm married. I'm committed. My marriage matters to me." If you're trying to be "married undercover" by keeping your marital status a mystery in public, that's not healthy.
 
Your ring is a visible symbol to your kids that your marriage matters. If you have children, one of the most important lessons you can teach them is what a marriage should look like. Have the kind of marriage that makes them want to get married someday! Show your kids the beauty of a husband and wife committed to each other in both public and private. This requires much more than just a ring, but the ring will be something they notice and it can provide opportunities for you to talk about why you wear it and what it represents.
 
Many would urge that my wife/husband knows I'm committed down to the last breath I take but, what about everyone else? You can't see their heart and they can't see yours. God looks on the heart, we're told in 1 Samuel 16:7, but man looks on the outward appearance. What else do we have to go on? So wear your wedding ring and without uttering a word.
 
Communications Officer
 
All Saints Cathedral, Kampala

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