The Triangle Principle

Dr. Richard Shropshire - The Barnabas Connection

Basic Premise: most American relationships are like ticks on a dog - without the dog: a parasitic relationship where each feeds on the other.

The husband looks to the wife for the meeting of his needs. She is agreeable to be his source of supply; but because she is human, she is, at best, inconsistent. He becomes disappointed, and possibly resentful. At the same time, the wife is looking to the husband for the meeting of her needs. He is agreeable to be the source of her supply, but is, at best, inconsistent. She becomes disappointed, and possibly resentful. A marriage crisis results, possibly leading to divorce.

This is the model of marriage typical in our culture; and is a model doomed from the start, because, in order for it to work, there must be perfect behavior on the part of two imperfect people.

NOTE: God is not a point of reference in this model.

The husband takes his needs to God, instead of to his spouse. God fills him to overflowing. He is then able to look to his wife, see what need she has, and choose to be a channel of God's supply for that need.

The wife takes her needs to God, instead of to her spouse. God fills her to overflowing. She is then able to look to her husband, see what need he has, and choose to be a channel of God's supply for that need.

This is a model of relationship that works because, instead of requiring perfect behavior from two imperfect people, it requires perfect behavior from a perfect God.