The FEBRUARY 2013
On Purpose Families Donnie Scearce, Lead Pastor
In Ontario, February 18 is set aside for Family Day. What a great idea. We need extra, intentional time set aside for our families. I remember seeing a Far Side comic a few years ago of a conference with the banner hanging over the front of the auditorium that read, “Conference for Functional Families.” There were only three people sitting in the audience. Gary Larson, the Far Side creator, had made his point with that one picture: there is no perfect family. Perhaps it was his humorous way of helping us relax about our dysfunction and put our energy into making our family the most loving one ours can be. How can we do this? Fortunately the Bible does not leave us to figure this out on our own. Quoting from The Message, Eugene Peterson’s unique paraphrase of Colossians 3:15-21: Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let theWord of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor the Master. Husbands, go all out in love for your wives. Don’t take advantage of them. Children, do what your parents tell you.This delights the Master no end. Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits. Whoa! No doubt there are some high ideals here. Let Christ’s peace rule and keep each one listening to the other. Let thankfulness be the regular habit of each person in the family. Let the Scripture be a regular part of our family life (perhaps reading something like E100 or a brief devotional book together at meal time is a way to do this). Let everything be run through the grid of “does this align with Jesus being the leader in our home?” If it doesn’t, then it needs to go: words, actions, whatever. And all the instructions for wives, husbands, children, and parents seem to come down to thinking first of the other person. Does it sound almost too good to be true? Maybe. But think about it. Who wouldn’t want to choose this way over a selfish, demanding, complaining, and argumentative way of living with one another? These are the options: Live with love serving one another or live with a self-serving attitude. One creates harmony in the home; the other chaos. One saves marriages; the other destroys them. One builds children up; the other tears them down. The choice is for each member of the family to make many times each day. Let’s go for it together this February. Our families are worth the investment!
“The family should be a closely knit group. The home should be a self-contained shelter of security; a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught; and a kind of church where God is honored; a place where wholesome recreation and simple pleasures are enjoyed.” ~ Billy Graham