The Sacredness of the Family

The concept of the family is not a human invention. It is one of those things that has "just always has been".  It is even easily observed in the animal kingdom.  A human family is naturally created by a man and a woman having a child and caring for each other as well as the child.  That is the most basic definition of a complete family.  Over time their have been different expectations for parents, different styles of parenting, different expectations for children.  A lot of shifting has happened over the centuries that has matured, the idea of the family. Their have also been many times throughout history where the sacredness of the family has been lost, and the effects of that have been devastating.  

In simpler times the family was an autonomous unit.  Each family had a tremendous amount of freedom to run their family as they saw fit.  In those simpler times life was not complicated but it was very hard.  The goal was to sustain life another day, or over another winter.  So, the closeness of the family came naturally.  They had to be on the same team if they wanted to survive.   They literally kept each other alive in many cases.  As we know, going through hard times together can create deep and lasting bonds.  Not that I am painting the past as perfect because certainly it didn't work that way all the time.   

Contrasting the environment of thousands of years ago with today, there is so much wealth, and so little required dependence on the traditional family, things have been unraveling for some time now.  Women don't need men to survive, and men don't need women.  (other than for reproduction)  Success is now a career, not children.  Now it seems each adult has become autonomous.   Or at least that is my perception.   Children are dependent on the state for education, they look to their friends to navigate the social landscape, because their parents don't make time for them, because they are both working trying to make more money for more stuff they probably don't need.   If this current model works and everyone is happy with it, then by all means lets continue with it.   The problem is, in my opinion, it isn't working at all.   

Parents have chosen to give up their influence on the next generation, for their own selfish desires.   We are literally giving away the greatest and most wonderful responsibility a person can ever have; to raise the next generation.    (yes, responsibilities can be wonderful!)  It is upsetting to me that the school has taken the responsibility to try to make good citizens of our communities, rather than just teach them traditional education based information.   It's upsetting because it is not "ideal", but at the same time I can't blame them.  Someone has to try.   Has the school stolen the parenting role, or have the parents neglected their role and the school is just trying to pick up the pieces?   Sadly, I think it is the latter. 

When we stopped treating the family as something sacred we started down the wrong path.  When we stopped believing that the family was something that God was using to raise the next generation and further his message of love to this world, then what was sacred became secular.  And what is secular becomes empty.  And what is empty is a void for evil to take over.   

A family is an extremely heavy responsibility. It is no wonder if their is a way out of it many  take it.  Today that is abortion.  In most all cases it is a shirking of our responsibility.  Our sacred duty.  When we loose site of the sacredness of the family it just isn't worth it.   When a child is a burden, rather than a call to serve God and future generations it doesn't make sense to accept the responsibility.  This is what happens when spirituality is not part of a persons life.   When the sacredness of the family is stripped away the institution falls apart.   Like removing the engine of a car it is quickly deemed worthless.  When you rip the heart out of something it dies.  

What does a family that values the sacredness of family have to offer?   It is the full expression of life! it is a light in the darkness.  It brings hope to the future as well as the present.   Mothers and Fathers who are looking to God to raise children who know who He is, and are being prepared to bring faith, hope and love into this world.  That...  Is a purpose!   It is a calling.  It is something to keep us humble and also make us proud to be a part of.  Family is an adventure that parents go on that is WAY bigger than they are in themselves.  Parents get the opportunity to show who Jesus is to the next generation.  Kids are loved, they will know what it means to be loved, and to love others.  They are corrected and taught what is right and wrong, and learn what it means to love and follow God.   These things are not taught to the masses.  They are taught by those who walk with an individual through their growing up years.   It is tremendously taxing, but tremendously rewarding!  

Lord, bring back an awareness of the sacredness of the family, and let our culture embrace the challenge and hold it to the value that it should be!