How to Live as a Family

Prayer – Lord, I see the greatest problem in American homes is lack of love and respect. Am I wrong? I wish I was. Paul was right on as You had him write to the believers at Colossi about family matters. 

Love One Another

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. Colossians 3:18-21

Meditate. Consider God is our “parent” and He knows just how we should treat others—even in our families.

 

Where do you fit into the Family scenario? Father, Mother, Child. Husband, Wife, Child. God gave directions for family relationships—including this passage written by Paul.

 

Submitting is word that is offensive to some people—but there are lots of examples of submitting. Submitting doesn’t mean kowtowing—but rather putting others first with respect.

Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the LORD. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the LORD your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 2 Chronicles 30:8

 

Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Job 22:21

 

Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! Psalm 2:12

 

And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline: Lamentations 3:27

 

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21

Love one another—husbands to wives. Love is patient, kind…

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love without being harsh is the directive—and by following the First Corinthians description with kindness there would be no harshness or aggravating circumstances for wives or children.

 

Love about sums up the directions for how to live as a family. It all comes down to Love God…Love Others that come from the summary of the Ten Commandments.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! Psalm 103:17-18

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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