by Jamie Lynn
PLYMOUTH, MI – How does a godly woman and mother build up a strong home life? With all the craziness going on in our world and local communities, it’s difficult to know what the priorities are.
Probably the easiest standard to evaluate your family and home life is by talking with other women and mothers while waiting to pick your kids up from school, chatting with your neighbor, or over coffee with your bestie. You weigh if the difficult things that are going on in your family are worse or better than your conversation-friend. If everything is going better than the lives of your friends, then you think you’re doing well enough. But is that the standard we should evaluate our home lives and family with?
There are so many questions to consider when working to improve your home life. These questions below only touch the surface of what we need to work on with our families and take to God for wisdom and direction. But these are the current issues that cry out to me and affect our home life. May God lead us even in the small things to do what’s right and beneficial for ourselves and our families.
MEDIA
Where do we draw the line with screen time and content? What kinds of things should we allow and where should we draw the line and say these TV shows, videos or games aren’t good for us? With our kids, how do we decide about internet use, what age, how long, late-night texting friends, etc…? What is the best standard for us to use as Jesus followers? Since the Bible was written before the internet came into play, how do we find wisdom in leading our families?
GAMBLING
What about the battle of something being legal versus if it’s good for us and our family? Michigan Gambling is promoted constantly on TV. They even say they’ll front you the first $100. It is online and easy access on your phone 24/7. It is definitely a subject for your family conversations. It would be good during your family devotion time to search the Bible for what it says about gambling/money (I Timothy 6:9-10; Proverbs 13:11; I Timothy 6:10).
MARIJUANA
Marijuana is also legal in Michigan. Used for recreational use, is it helpful or hurtful to our families? It is a subject that is important to talk with your family about. With more and more people deciding to smoke/eat marijuana, you need to have set your standard on the Word of God and not on what the public chooses. These verses speak to the theme of marijuana use, Galatians 6:7-8, 2 Timothy 4:5, I Peter 4:1-6, Peter 5:7 and many more.
Mothers, for all your questions about your family, search the Bible for Scriptures and ask God to help you know if it will build up your family or tear it down. God’s word says,
“A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1.
Think about the things you can do with your family to help build a strong godly home life. Make a list of those things with your spouse and kids. Find unity in what would make your family healthier. Start by choosing one thing from your list to work on or add to your family’s time together.
Here's some good options:
Pray and read Scripture together each day (mealtimes or other)
Attend church together
Have family conversations over issues that arise
Make your home safe/peaceful/joy-filled
Remove cussing and add in polite words
Build each other up
Spend time together as a family (not too busy in sports, clubs, separate activities)
Have rules for resolving conflict
Express your love for each other
Here are some great guiding Scriptures:
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8
Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12
Let’s not allow our family life to slowly decay and evolve into something that isn’t healthy. God is willing to help us. He not only created us, offered salvation from our sinful selves, but also gave us His Word to read for guidance and help with our families.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Lynn is the Communications Director for the BSCM. Jamie loves working for the Michigan churches at the State Convention Office. She is married to Dr. Tony Lynn, State Director of Missions and enthusiastic follower of Jesus Christ. They have 3 married children and 9 amazing grandchildren.