Covert Ops

Last Friday I took part in a covert operation. An acquaintance of mine had decided to leave her husband after 20 years of marriage. A group gathered at a mutual friend's house for soup and sandwiches while waiting for "the call."

Shortly after 7 PM her husband received the usual text message from his buddies to go out and drink beer. After his departure, she called "the team" and off we went. It was a very sad experience. After all those years, the six of us were able to pack and load her stuff in about 25 minutes.

We regrouped at one of the "team member's" home before driving to another town where our fleeing wife had rented an apartment. We were unpacked within 2 1/2 hours of starting. She had left the divorce papers and a "dear John" in a package for the absent hubby to find upon his routine night out with "the boys."

This situation brings up a lot of thoughts. First, the condition of divorce. These days it seems to be a remedy that is grasped all too quickly by people. After 20 years, however, the situation was clearly not good. The man apparently is an "abuser" - not in the physical sense, but in the verbal (and, therefore, supporting) area. What a tragic marriage that must have been - to live in a house with a person and not share your thoughts, not feel support, and always be criticized. How horrible.

Some people believe that once a couple marries they should never divorce. Much like my great grandparents - they never divorced, but they did "break up housekeeping." She at least was a devout Catholic. Divorce would never be tolerated.

The Old Testament clearly defines conditions under which divorce is acceptable. From Exodus through Deuteronomy the "law" is well documented. In Chapter 24 there is a discussion relating to when a man marries and finds "something indecent" about his wife he can then provide a certificate of divorce. However, the Old Testament contains a lot of rules and consequences that are not followed today.

The New Testament also discusses divorce. Mathew, Chapter 19 provides insight to the conditions discussed in Deuteronomy. Of course, Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians advocates that people should never marry.

I have no opinion of the situation that I participated in last week. The right or wrong of the marriage and subsequent divorce is not for me to judge. It is between the married couple. I merely saw a person in need and extended my hand to help.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." - Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:14