Daily Dose 26: The Keys 2: Key Home Priorities

Little has been more studied, ignored, microscoped, broad-brushed, exalted, mocked, perverted and preserved than the “traditional family unit.” As with any truly important concept, everyone wants their slant on the idea to be the right one. Families work best together, when each member respects what the others do and understands how the tasks/roles interact. Listing what the Bible says about family will help us coordinate home processes better.

Home Priorities

1. Parents and children can both depend on the Bible to teach them truth. John 17: 17
2. Whatever our positions or feelings are about anything does not change God’s truth. Romans 3: 4
3. None of us has any power (or authority) except what the Lord gives. John 19: 11
4. With His power, however, any of us can do whatever He expects us to do. Philippians 4: 13
5. This includes changing what we think (Romans 12: 1, 2), what we believe (Colossians 2: 8; 3: 1-2), and what  we have learned (Proverbs 19: 27) if it does not match God’s thinking.
6. Children do come from the Lord. Psalms 127: 3
7. The Lord expects parents to invest daily time to rear children to understand and carry on biblical truths. Deuteronomy 6: 6-7
8. Children are supposed to be trained in the “shoulds” of life. Proverbs 22: 6
9. Both mothers and fathers are important to the rearing of children. Proverbs 1: 8, 6: 20 and Ephesians 6: 1-4
10. A solemn responsibility of children is to honor the parents the Lord has given them. Exodus 20: 12; Deuteronomy 5: 16
11. Children demonstrate this honor primarily through obedience to parental requests/commands. Ephesians 6: 1-3
12. Children can be wiser than adults when they behave and speak in line with God. Psalms 119: 99 ; Luke 2: 46-50
13. Children and younger adults should behave as mature believers, so people do not discount their truth because of age. 1 Timothy 4: 12
14. God intervenes and is keenly watchful for children who have lost one or both parents. Psalms 68: 5; 146: 9; Deuteronomy 10: 18; James 1: 27
15. Children can be both a great delight and a great grief to their parents. Proverbs 10: 1; 15: 20; 17: 21, 25; 28: 7.
16. Every person is ultimately responsible for his or her own decisions before the Lord. Philippians 2 and Romans 1-3
17. Even children can be evaluated for whether or not his or her behaviors are right according to God’s standards. Proverbs 20: 11
18. However, children are in a process of growth and change toward maturity. 1 Corinthians 13: 11; Galatians 4: 1, 2; Luke 2: 52
19. Adults can majorly derail children from coming to a proper understanding and trust of the Lord. Matthew 18; Ephesians 6: 4
20. Older, godly women should know how to help younger women learn how to love their children. Titus 2: 4
21. Children can become wanton and reprobate. 2 Timothy 3: 2; Romans 1: 30
22. One of the Lord’s final graces before judgment will be to send prophetic help to restore family bonds. Malachi 4: 6; Luke 1: 17
23. Fathers bear the greatest responsibility for making their home successful in transmitting biblical truth. Ephesians 5:23
24. Both fathers and husbands are responsible to increase the spiritual maturity of their daughters and wives Ephesians 5: 25-27
25. Men are to make it their business to understand women, their needs, and their tasks as equals in spiritual standing 1 Peter 3: 7
26. Men have a particular priority to provide for their families 1 Timothy 5:8
27. Women have a particular priority to support the authority of fathers and husbands Ephesians 5: 22, 1 Peter 3: 1
28. Women should provide trustworthy counsel and advice to their husbands (or any authority) Proverbs 31: 11

Anyone one of these points gives us a lot to think about. One example: years ago I received a powerful insight into thinking about childhood obedience (#11). Clearly, adults who also submit to authority and obedience that is neither subtly nor sensuously manipulative is a pleasure at any age. But superior, well-rounded, leadership with limited blind spots, (and a willingness to face those blind spots) also comes from long years of obedience. Discerning leadership, grown in submissive soil, is another rare pleasure, marked by a desire to work hard, delegate wisely, and fulfill others, while shunning selfish motives, personal aggrandizement, and sensuous  rule. For as long as this list is, and as much thinking potential as it holds, we still don’t have everything we need to think about in front of us. We have more to add.