The Family Life

One of the most important areas of stewardship in my life is with my family. I have always said that I refuse to gain the whole world but lose my family. Many times our families take a back seat to things like work, church, and sometimes even hobbies. It is time to make our families a priority again.

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

— Timothy 5:8

I know some of you reading this do not have any children, and some of you are not married, but if you ever plan on doing either then, you need to read this.

It is important to remember that God has given your family to you as a gift. Not just a gift to you but His gift that you get to take care of. Here are five things you can do to steward this gift well.

1) Be present

Everything around us is fighting for our attention. The one group of people that should not have to fight for your attention is your family. Make everyone else fight for your attention, but your family should always have it. You should be the first one to know something is not right in your home. Put your phone down. Turn the tv off. Look into your family’s eyes at least once a day and listen to them tell their stories. Sit down for dinner with them at the table as much as you can and ask them questions about their day. How you treat these moments will determine your family legacy.

2) Make life a journey

Life is full of ups and downs. Remember the saying, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” Your family will follow your lead through wins and losses. When things get tough, then turn it into a journey. There is no good story without some conflict and resolution. Help them know that you are writing your story. This chapter may be full of difficulty and trials, but everyone is a part of turning the page. Don’t try to do it on your own. Life is always better together.

3) Love Your Spouse

How you treat your spouse is so important to your children. If you don’t have children, you still have to remember that you are a picture of how God is with the church. God uses the picture of marriage many times throughout scripture to describe His relationship with the church. Go out on a date, kiss your spouse enough in front of your kids that it grosses them out, and tell them you love them every day. Sometimes we think it is the big things they remember, but most of the time, it is the little things that have added up over time that they remember the most.

4) Remember the best thing in life are not things

It is so tempting to try and keep up with everyone around you when it comes to having stuff. The best thing you can do for your family is to create a life of giving and not a life of accumulating. Delayed gratification is one of the best things you can teach your family. They don’t need stuff. They need you. Find things to do that don’t cost money. Go to the park. Go for a walk. Play a game together. Find a show that everyone likes and watch an episode each night. Make one night a week movie night. These are the “things” they need most.

5) Train Up a Child

The best way to train a child is by giving them an example to live by. Don’t expect them to know the word of God if you never show an interest in it. Never expect them to know how to pray if you never pray. I love this quote by Voddie Baucham, “If you send your kids to Caesar for their education, don’t be surprised when they come back as Romans.” Some hope the school raises their kids, some let the church raise them, and others let the tv raise them. Our culture bears the fruit of those decisions. Don’t let someone else raise your family. Psalm 127:4 says, “Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.” Remember that arrows are just sticks without a bow and a bow is pointless without arrows. It is your responsibility to propel your children into their future.

Challenge:

Have you neglected your family? Change that today. Start small but start. Don’t let today pass by without having a meaningful conversation with your family.