Faith Filled Family Magazine January 2017 | Page 14

THE “ EX ” FACTOR BY GABRIELLE ELISCO

Marriage is a very exclusive institution . There is only room for three . Yes , you read the correctly . Husband , wife , and most importantly , God . Of course , there are friends , family , and loved ones to help strengthen and support the sanction of marriage , but when husband and wife make a vow to God to be solely faithful to each other , there is no room for company .

Sadly , our society has become much more laid back with the sanctity of marriage . The sacred bond once highly valued and treasured is now tainted to be considered much less seriously taken . Husbands and wives entertain the company of people they shouldn ’ t , have relationships with others they should not , and unfortunately people are unfaithful to each other . The problem lies in unclear boundaries . Take for example , texting . A simple text message may seem minuscule and insignificant when considering the larger picture , though one single message may produce ripples that lead to infidelity . There has been substantial growth in the ideology that texting another person of the opposite sex that is not just a friend is harmless . This is where unfaithfulness takes root , though . Texts turn into conversations , conversations turn into emotional intimacy , and eventually emotional intimacy could lead to physical intimacy as well . This is just one example of the many facets of marital affairs that take place . Another harmful , though commonly misconceived lethal threat to marriage is choosing the wrong friends . Specifically , the ex boyfriend or girlfriend .
Ex boyfriends and girlfriends are a “ no trespassing ” zone , especially in a marriage . I have heard many people say , “ My ex and I are still friends ” and actually believe that they are just friends . I myself have exchanged the famous cliches when breaking up with a guy , “ We can still be friends ” or “ I ’ m still here if you