1 Timothy 3:4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive. ESV
BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT BUILDING A STRONG FAMILY
Sometime ago, a concerned citizen counseled that I send my family abroad while I stay back to face my ministry. I’ve heard this severally.
Though the person gave that counsel out of love and concern for me because of the situation of things in the country but I declined.
It is one of my personal core values that I must stay together with my family. No opportunity can be so juicy to the extent that I’ll neglect them. If God will have me relocate elsewhere, then it has to be with my family.
I’ll suggest this should be your personal resolve as well in this decaying world where corruption, immorality and perversion seeks to have young minds.
The strategy of the enemy has always been the same as it was in the days of Pharaoh- to neglect the family. When Moses demanded their freedom, Pharoah suggested the children and women be left behind but Moses rejected that partial freedom.
Pharaoh’s officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. “How long will you let this man hold us hostage? LET THE MEN GO to worship the Lord their God! Don’t you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?” Moses replied, “WE WILL ALL GO—young and old, our SONS AND DAUGHTERS, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the Lord.” Never! Only the men may go and worship the Lord, since that is what you requested.” And Pharaoh threw them out of the palace( Exodus 10:7, 9, 11 NLT).
The tactics hasn’t changed. The evil forces that holds sway in this evil worldly system always want the men to have the job opportunities but at the expense of their family especially the children.
In this ever busy world of ours, the devil has succeeded in shifting the focus of many away from things that matters to mundane pursuit. The family is one of the most important institutions If not the most important.
After the church, the family is one of the prime targets of the enemy. In fact, If he can scatter homes and make children wayward, he has gotten the church and the society. The failure of the family is the principal reason for the failure of the society and the church.
So many believers do not have time for their families any more. Everything about them revolves around work. Some are even looking out for out of town or country job opportunities without considering their families along.
God’s intention for marriage is that the family should be together for fellowship, edification and to share together. One of the reasons some have fallen into adultery is because of too long distance away from their spouses.
It pleases when couples live separately across countries and continents for economic reasons. That’s not the plan of God for the family institution.
Ministers of the gospel are not left out in this. As preachers, we must be careful not to focus on ministry at the expense of our families. True ministry begins at home not on the pulpit.
As a preacher, don’t honour invitation at the expense of your family. Beware of ministry opportunities/engagements that separate you from your family for too long a time.
This year, we must not allow the society, school, environment, media and peers train our children for us. We have to be intentional about training them.
Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth (Malachi 2:15).
ACTION POINT:- This year, make your family your priority. It requires making sacrifices but it would pay-off at the end. Be intentional about it.