Lessons from an old "Eagles" Song and Scripture

Scripture Verse that caught my attention today: Isaiah 4:1 Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying,
“We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes;
just let us be called by your name;
take away our disgrace.”

Observation: Guys…this is not as good as it sounds!

Application: When reading the above verse, the lyrics from that old song by the Eagles (“Take it Easy”) came to mind.

Well, I'm running down the road
tryin' to loosen my load
I've got seven women on my mind,
Four that wanna own me,
Two that wanna stone me,
One says she's a friend of mine…

The song goes on to reveal an irony: although there is a “load” to having seven women on a man’s mind, the man in the song still had a insatiable craving for more!

I don’t think he’s alone in that dilemma. Like many of us of the male gender, it’s easy to forget the wise old saying that “less is more.”

It may help to remember that in the Scripture passage above, the reason for the supposedly great male to female odds was actually desperation. Times were (or were going to be) exceptionally tough. Seven to one was not the ideal, but rather an attempt to cope with dire straights. The man, rather than sharing all of himself, was only able, or even expected, to share the bare minimum. And the women were, regrettably, forced into a situation of accepting far less than they deserved.

Tomorrow I’ll be officiating at a wedding. Another special couple will pledge their vows to each other.. There is no desperation in sight. Rather, the plan is that from this point on they will be able to share everything with each other. When there is any kind of ‘load,’ they will carry it together. When there is joy, they will share that too. All of him for her. All of her for him.

He won’t have to worry about others wanting to “own” him or “stone” him or want to be in some kind of complicated and probably dysfunctional ‘friendship’ with him. He can simply love and be loved. And she can do the same. It’s a far better plan.

Less is more.

Prayer: Lord, when thinking of other marriages I can’t help but be exceedingly thankful for my very own. Help all couples to cherish the gift that you have given them through each other. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Scripture readings today included Isaiah 4 & 5; Psalms 115 & 116, and the book of Jude)