No other relationship involves such a prolonged commitment to another. Such perceived stability brings great joy and great risks. In healthy marriages, the joy of intimacy is uplifting and ennobling, bringing a sense of significance, joy, and security. Yet, in the midst of this, a subtle danger lurks. The degree of vulnerability, openness, and interdependence that marriage demands can be dangerous.
Nothing hurts more than the betrayal of an intimate friend.
Jesus knew this in experiencing the betrayal of Judas. And there is no more intimate friend and partner than one's spouse. No one in the world has such power to hurt as a husband, wife, or intimate friend. To love means to open ourselves to suffering. Intimate relationships are viewed through lenses of caution, doubt, and suspicion.