Some years ago I heard an amusing news story about a couple in Jackson, Michigan. The owner of a trash collection business there proposed to his girlfriend. She said yes. There was nothing unusual about that, but the setting for the wedding was definitely peculiar. The man wanted to have their ceremony on the back of a garbage truck. Again his girlfriend said yes, but she stipulated that the truck had to be new.
No doubt, this odd wedding prompted friends to ask all manner of teasing questions. Would the reception napkins be made of recycled paper? Did the bride and groom plan to honeymoon in a nice hotel or a dump? If the couple decided to decorate their home with used furniture, just how “used” would it be?
While marrying on the back of a garbage truck may be odd, such a wedding is by no means a predictor of the marriage’s failure. The unusual setting may simply indicate that this man and his wife have a quirky sense of humor. In fact, the wedding décor has little to do with the success of the marriage. Millions of couples say their vows in the soft glow of candlelight, only to divorce a few years later.
What matters far more than flowers and candles is the commitment brought to the marriage. True commitment doesn’t depend on the spouse’s good health, good looks, good personality, or good income. True commitment depends solely on the good character of the one making it. An honest person keeps his or her vows because it’s the right thing to do, not because it’s always convenient. Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6).