December 15, 2024 — Episode #50

Wrapping up their year-long series on building a stronger marriage, Jerry and Becky confront where judgmental attitudes and prejudice come from, and how couples can guard against tearing each other down.

Jerry shares childhood memories of witnessing racial prejudice growing up in the South, and the couple discuss how judgmental attitudes, whether racial, economic, or within families, are learned rather than innate, tracing the pattern back to Cain and Abel and Joseph’s brothers in Scripture. They caution parents against favoring one child over another and encourage grace and compassion instead of judgment. The episode moves through several more listener-submitted principles: not pressuring a spouse who is already discouraged, choosing comfort over lecturing, keeping promises to children and a spouse, avoiding comparisons between a spouse and others, and being respectful of a spouse’s extended family. They close by encouraging listeners to keep building their marriages on the same daily habits discussed throughout the year.

Topics discussed:

• Where prejudice and judgmental attitudes come from
• Cain and Abel, and Joseph’s brothers, as biblical examples of favoritism and jealousy
• Avoiding favoritism among children
• Not pressuring a discouraged spouse; choosing comfort over lecturing
• Keeping promises made to a spouse and children
• Avoiding comparisons between a spouse and others
• Respecting a spouse’s extended family
• Becky’s book, “The Bright Side of Blue”

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