The Box That Breaks Us
Read The Daily:
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” — Proverbs 13:12
On our cruise last month for our anniversary, my wife and I were loving the dinners—fancy food we don’t normally get to eat, great conversations. But every night we had a different waiter. One night, we got Maria. She was hilarious, fun, full of life—even when she had rude guests at another table. A couple tables down, though, was another server… and you could just tell. Miserable. Worn down. Same job. Same boat. Totally different experience. Why? Because attitude changes everything—even when the expectations around you don’t.
That story is basically a picture of what happens in relationships. We all carry a box of hopes and dreams—what marriage, dating, or even parenting is supposed to look like. But instead of sharing what’s in our box, we quietly slip it into someone else’s life as an expectation. And when they don’t meet it? We get frustrated, disappointed, maybe even bitter. But they never agreed to carry it in the first place. That’s why love breaks under the weight of silent expectations.
Love breaks under the weight of silent expectations
That’s why Proverbs says “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” It’s not that your hopes are wrong—it’s that pushing them on someone else breaks connection. What if, instead of handing off your box, you held it? What if you talked about what’s in it, without assuming the other person owes you any of it? That’s how love stays love—when it’s a gift, not a demand. So today, keep your box in your hands. The secret isn’t to get rid of your hopes—it’s to stop expecting someone else to fulfill them. Talk about what’s in your box. But don’t demand it. Love thrives when it’s offered, not owed. It might just be the most loving thing you can do. Today, ask yourself: Have I made someone carry something they never asked to hold?
Prayer for the Day
God what are you showing me? What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.
Read The New Testament In A Year
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery. Matthew 5:17-32
Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned. Romans 3:1-8