FIREWALL YOUR FAMILY WITH GODLINESS.

            Families are building blocks of society, built on the scaffold of stable marriages. Unfortunately today, marriages even among Christians are on shaky ground. A judge of the High Court recently predicted that marriage will be totally abolished within 10-15 years, because the tolerance level of human beings has hit rock bottom.

            Unstable marriages are the reasons for disintegration of families. Home is only a place to eat and sleep. Disharmony among parents breeds insecurity in children. With no role models to follow, children succumb to coarse, materialistic, selfish and sensuous atmosphere of present society. Individualism has destroyed family unity. Today the threat to the nation from broken homes is considered more harmful than the threat of war.

            What would Jesus expect us to do in such a sad state of affairs? He would want us to bring back the sanctity and relevance of marriage. Spiritual guidance should come from the church. Premarital Counselling should be insisted upon before any couple can be joined in matrimony. Marriage is not just to make a couple happy but must also make them holy. It calls for a greater degree of integrity and commitment than one would put into a career. It requires resilience, patience and tolerance. The Lord Jesus Christ should be the third binding strand in the cord of matrimony. That is why the Bible cautions, “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”

            When the presence of God permeates your home, the family is likely to stay united. There should be no embarrassment in discussing God with children. Values like kindness, frankness, honesty and loyalty must be passed on to our children. Family prayers and close links with the church will help retain values. In this age of moral dishonesty with its secularized view of sex, parents should be aware of the temptations that face children. Therefore there should be free communication between children and parents on prevalent issues. Children need boundaries. Creative parenting will help them mature faster and imbibe moral values. This will prevent disintegration of the family.