Honestly, I didn’t like him, and I’m not sure why she married him.

That youthful marriage could have been described as pity. He wasn’t much to look at, and he didn’t have any money or other great resources. Maybe Lisa just felt sorry for him.

It’s not uncommon for young adults to marry at a young age. It’s also not unusual for those youthful escapades to end up in an early divorce.

Lisa’s first husband tried hard to be a good man. He wasn’t afraid of hard work. He worked seven days a week out of necessity. And that was good since he was broker than Moses’ first copy of the Ten Commandments.

But I feel sorry for Lisa when I think about that young marriage. She deserved so much better than that young man from a broken home could provide.

Again he tried hard. But he was self-consumed, and it appeared he loved sports more than her or their infant child. Looking back, I don’t think he was good at anything except insisting on his way.

I knew that guy, and it’s a thousand wonders that Lisa isn’t serving time for homicide.

Do you want to know why I know so much about Lisa’s first husband? It’s because I am her first husband, and she’s also my first wife. We’ve been in this marriage covenant since 1991. But for her sake, I’m glad I’m not the same man she married.

What changed? The first and most significant thing that changed was that I got saved. I committed faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. In conjunction with that, I became a student of the Bible. Then God gave me godly examples of good husbands and fathers. These Christian friends became informal mentors.

I haven’t arrived, and I’m still not the model husband and father. I’m more aptly described as the husband and father still under construction. But I thank God that I’m not who I used to be. I’m pretty sure that Lisa also thanks God I’m not the same man she married.

To become a different person, you must take responsibility for who you are. For your sake and your family, don’t play the victim any longer. God has granted you 100% of the authority to make the necessary changes.

Charlie Jones once said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

If you’re not a Christian, please accept that you are a sinner and Jesus Christ is the Savior. He will forgive you of your sins, and you can become a new person when you repent of your ways. As you continue in a commitment to follow Him, your life will change for the better in so many ways.

If you are a Christian, please commit to following Jesus Christ and become a student of the Holy Scriptures. Christ and His Word have the power to change your life eternally.

I’m glad to report that I love Lisa more than ever, and I love her husband too. Christ and His Word have made a difference for me.

What about you? Are you the same person that you were twenty-five to thirty years ago? What about five years ago?