Fight for Your Household

What actions do you associate with being a Christian? What action could someone be doing that would make you think they are a Christian?

Most of us think of a person praying, reading their Bible, or attending church. Maybe giving food out, or blankets to the homeless. All of these things should be present in the life of a believer, without question. The problem arises after a tough, long day of being a Christian and we come home to act “ourselves”. We hang up our faith with our coats like the armor of God has weighed us down as much as it has protected us. As if when our friends or coworkers discovered that we were Jesus’ followers, Christianity became a burden we carry. So we get home and seek rest by shedding our Biblical worldview. With armor aside and swords inaccessible, we wonder why our households have become the target of our enemy.

God had different intentions for the Christian household. Ephesians 5 Paul explains “ a profound mystery but I am talking about Christ and the church”. Using a marital relationship he explains how Jesus loved the church and gave himself up for it. He loved the church as his own body. He fed and cared for the church. There is no surprise that God commonly used household relationships to best describe our relationship with him. We are described as his children. The church is described as his bride. We are referred to as “brothers and sisters in Christ”. It was not because he expected any marriage, child, or sibling to perfectly represent him, but because he wanted you to model your relationships after how he treats you.

This was the standard by which the New Testament church encouraged one another. Paul went as far as to tell Timothy, “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:5) and “A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well.” (1 Timothy 3:12) Consider how important the household was to Paul if your eligibility for service in the church was contingent on its healthiness. He does not say this to dispense judgment on some and elevate those whose families appear perfect. He says it so that people will prioritize ministry to their families before they minister to others. He was teaching priorities. Love your family first, then come love others. Serve your family first, then come serve others. Your household comes first.

Paul defined the traits of a leader to Timothy when he wrote, “to be above reproach, faithful, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3) For many of us, these traits hang on the metaphorical coat racks of our homes. We checked them at the door. In doing so, we’ve cut off the source of peace, love, mercy, and forgiveness in our home. We’ve exchanged a battle “out there” for a battle in our own home. let me ask you, who speaks more highly of you, your family or your boss? Your family or your coworkers? Your family or your friends?

Will you join me in living a life different than that of the world? One that doesn’t try to impress or provide for our families by what we do outside the home, but one that provides peace, faith, love, self-control, and godliness because of what we do in our home. I pray that Christians are most known for actions that serve their household. That our service, generosity, love, and gentleness to others flow from the fruit of our households. I pray that Christian marriages are modeled after Christ’s action to his bride, the church. I pray that Christian parents model themselves after how the Father loved the Son.

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . .as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15