“For years my wedding ring has done its job. It has led me not into temptation. It has reminded my husband numerous times at parties that it’s time to go home. It has been a source of relief to a dinner companion. It has been a status symbol in the maternity ward.” – Erma Bombeck
PEOPLE WEAR RINGS for different reasons. They wear them to identify with a particular institution of learning,
Whatever the reason, rings are very significant for many people. Today, however, I want to highlight the wedding ring as an extremely extraordinary symbol, which should be respected by both husband and wife.
A wedding ring should be worn and displayed with a great sense of dignity and pride. The wedding ring must not first be seen as an expensive piece of jewellery, but more so as a priceless emblem to be valued by both husband and wife.
Until death
Keep your ring on because there is a covenant attached to it.
When a covenant is made between two people, it is not for the initial forming of a relationship but rather affirming that a relationship has already been established.
So when a man and a woman stand before a marriage officer and say to each other, “I covenant to live with you until death separates us”, they are legally cementing an already existing relationship.
Making a decision to seal the marriage bond with rings as symbols of that covenant should never be entered into lightly.
Wearing that wedding ring every day should remind you of the covenant you made with your spouse in the presence of God and others. Without a word spoken, the wearing of that symbol of love given to you by your spouse, should send a clear signal to others that you are neither for sale nor for rent. The lyrics of Elvis Presley’s popular song She Wears My Ring, share the same sentiment:
“She wears my ring to show the world that she belongs to me
She wears my ring to show the world she’s mine eternally;
With loving care I placed it on her finger
To show my love for all the world to see.”
On a sacred note, God the originator of marriage spoke in the book of Malachi 2 of The Holy Bible about the seriousness of the marriage covenant. He said that the covenant goes deeper than a verbal expression; it is intended to knit the spirits of the husband and wife together.
In that same Malachi passage, God strongly expresses disapproval towards those who broke the covenant because of the serious negative implication it has for not only their spouses, but also the children and by extension the society.
Disrespected today
Keep your ring on because there is faithfulness attached to it.
Your wedding ring which is a “public record of a private reality” is designed to tell the world that you have pledged to be faithful to your spouse, “until death do us part”. Today there is an astoundingly high level of disrespect paid to the marriage bed.
Unfortunately, although spouses have made a covenant to be faithful to each other, they still decide to cheat even with the wedding ring on. How sad.
Kind of deception
There are spouses I know who confessed to removing their wedding rings when they travel alone to distant countries, so that the impression is given that they are single. It is the kind of deception that is adopted so that the married can have more liberty to fulfil their sexual and other passions.
Whether in private or in public, local or abroad, always remember not only to keep your ring on, but also let the words “I pledge to be faithful to you . . .” always ring in your ears when temptations arise to do otherwise.
Keep your ring on because there are emotions attached to it.
Almost all couples I see who are preparing for marriage say that their love for each other is one of the main reasons why they are planning to be married.
On several wedding days I have seen both the husband and wife express their positive emotions for each other in laughter, sometimes even with tears of joy, especially when the rings are finally placed on each other’s fingers.
The wedding ring is a symbol of those emotions displayed on that special day. Therefore, it is healthy to keep those emotions flowing from the heart whenever you look at those rings. Again Elvis Presley aptly ventilate it in the words of the second verse of She Wears My Ring:
“This tiny ring is a token of tender emotion
An endless pool of love that’s as deep as the ocean
She swears to wear it with eternal devotion
That’s why I sing, because she wears my ring.”
Keep your ring on because there is sacrifice attached to it.
When I speak of sacrifice, I am putting it within the context of the husband and wife coming together to do everything possible to safeguard the integrity of their union. Wearing that ring should always remind the couple of the serious responsibility that they have to each other.
Challenges are a normal part of all relationships and they will present themselves at some unexpected times along the marriage journey. The solution is never to take off and refuse to wear your ring or angrily throw it back at your spouse.
Keep your ring on and seek counsel from a trained marriage counsellor if you are unable to resolve the impasse. Your constant goal should be to make a firm commitment to resolve every issue that arises.
Always fight to prevent anyone or anything from destroying your marriage and allow that ring to always remind you that together you and your spouse are partners for life.
If as a married couple you are serious about your covenant, committed to being faithful to your partner for life; devoted to keeping your positive emotions vibrant toward each other, and dedicated to making sacrifices for the fortification of your marriage; then you should have no difficulty in wearing your wedding ring.
