Together in Christ: 'Not Letting Little Things Ruin the Main Thing' — Song of Solomon 2:15

Friday, April 5, 2024

Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!

— Song of Solomon 2:15 NLT

Key Thought

Many of us know the phrase, "Death by a thousand cuts." The point of this saying is similar to our proverb on love from the Song of Solomon. Loving relationships between men and women face an onslaught of small challenges and distractions. Many of those slights are insignificant in isolation from other distractions. We can easily dismiss them as unimportant and never resolve, correct, eliminate, or address them with each other. Over time, however, they add up, and couples drift apart or carry the accumulation of these minor wounds. Love is lost like a vineyard loses a few grapes each day to several foxes, and then one day, the vineyard is bare of fruit.

While the Song of Solomon is talking about romantic love, the same type of difficulties can arise in Christian love for anyone.

The message for you and me is unmistakable. We must not let "little problems" fester:

  • Don't let minor hurts accumulate; address and correct them early.
  • Don't neglect those we love, even if those neglects feel minor in our eyes.

Loving someone means we are vigilant in seizing every opportunity to delight the other person, affirm their significance to us, and demonstrate that our love for them is second only to honoring God.

While the apostle Paul used the following language for our relationship with our church leaders, his words are equally applicable to all of our loving relationships:

Hold them in the highest regard in love... Live in peace with each other. [1]
[1] 1 Thessalonians 5:13 NIV

Today's Prayer

Almighty God and loving Father, please give me the Spirit of wisdom to see the little distractions and slights that interfere with my demonstrating my genuine love. I ask for this help and guidance in Jesus' name and to honor His example of loving others. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Romans 12:9-10
  • 1 Peter 1:22

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Illustration

Illustration of Song of Solomon 2:15 NLT — Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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