My husband frequently travels out of the country on business, and my son and I are often the recipients of many interesting facts and strange truths about different cultures around the world. Recently, after a trip to Japan, my husband came home with a unique piece of information and even had the pictures to back it up.

 

Japan is one of his favorite countries andhe has never failed to be impressed by their industriousness, attention to detail, and innovative approaches to living. Because the country is small geographically, real estate is at a premium and every effort is made tomaximize the limited space. Form and function are of high value in their culture. This is evident in most aspects of Japanese living, and it appears that even the simple watermelon has been impacted. In Japan they grow square watermelons. These square versions are limited in size and fit well into a refrigerator thus allowing valuable space to be utilized more efficiently. Items can be stacked on and around a square watermelon as opposed to the large ovaloneswe grow here in the United States.

 

Growing a square watermelon is accomplished by planting seeds into boxes of a specified size. The watermelons grow snugly to the parameters of the box and are brought to market as soon as they reach the perfect dimension. They are typically the same size and weighabout three pounds on average. After telling me about this fascinating process, my husband gave me aprofound statement to mull over--he said,"you know, this is a basic principle we can learn from...you will never grow beyond the box that you have placed around yourself and your life." So true.Watermelons that are planted in fertile soil, cared for, and left without limits can grow quite enormous. In fact, last year's championship watermelon weighed in at nearly 300 pounds!

 

I have thought about his observations for months now, and I know that he is right about the crippling effect of limitations in the Christian's life--andto the Christian marriage as well. God's word is clear on this. In Jeremiah 29:11 he says, "for I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." and in John 10:10 he says, I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly." The words prosper and abundance mean limitless living. We are heirs to the greatest kingdom that will ever be known, filled with the Holy Spirit, and have been generously supplied with an amazing array of unique and marvelous spiritual gifts and yet we stubbornly focus on hardships and trials and allow circumstances and selfish desires to box us in and inhibit our spiritual and relational growth.

 

What Box Do You Have Around Your Marriage?