Families Are Important!

Colossians 3:18-21 – Families are Important!

Families are important! Families are important to our society. As the family goes, so goes the nation. Families are important to God. It is through the family that we get our first taste of what church and heaven are supposed to be – but only if our families are ordered and guided by God’s word. Paul gives us those orders: wives submit, husbands love, children obey, fathers don’t provoke. That is great guidance.

As we look at these one at a time, remember this: it is all about love. It is about love for God. Because of our love for Him, we do everything that He commands us to do through His word, and without that love, we will not be obedient. Because of our love for Him, we can love our spouses and our children and our parents in the way that He tells us to love them, and without that love, we will always fall short.

So, wives, submit to your OWN husbands because it is fitting. It has always been God’s plan that the husband be the leader in his home. Adam was given that responsibility in the Garden, and he blew it. He stood by and watched Eve partake of the fruit without saying a word to her, knowing God had forbidden that very act. Then he ate. Then he blamed God. That isn’t what leaders do. Leaders lead, and when husbands love their wives as Christ loves the church (see Ephesians 5), then Christian wives willingly submit. But remember, this submission is based on love, not fear.

Husbands, as stated above, love your wives as Christ loves the church. Yes, Jesus is the undisputed head of the church. He is in control. He is the boss. But to love as He loves, we must be willing to die for our wives. If we love like that and our wives know that we are willing to give up everything for her, she will NOT have a problem with gracious submission.

Children, the very offspring of the kind of love referenced above, are to obey! It is the command of God. Now understand we are talking about Christian families, so parents will not be ordering their children to do anything they should not be doing. They will be following godly guidance that leads them to a closer walk with our Lord. God is pleased when our families follow His plan, and our families will follow His plan if husbands love their wives and wives submit to their husbands and children obey their parents. But remember this – my daughters’ favorite verse in the whole Bible: Fathers, do not exasperate your children!

I know about exasperation and discouragement caused by a father. It isn’t pretty. 34 years after leaving home, I am still “affected” by my father’s words to me, but I have learned that my Heavenly Father overcomes every negative word that our earthly fathers have ever uttered. I am loved. I am precious. I am HIS!