James Dobson describes, in an inspirational nutshell, just what the Christian family should be all about. What an encouragement! (This is from his Parents’ Answer Book, 2003)
The eternal plan for the family, as I understand it, begins with a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, undergirded by absolute loyalty and fidelity to one another. The husband then devotes himself to the best interests of his wife, providing for her needs and protecting her to the point of death if necessary. The wife honours her husband, devotes herself to him, and respects his leadership in the family. If they are blessed with children, those children are recognized to have inestimable worth and dignity – not for what they produce or accomplish, but for who they are as God’s own handiwork. They are taught while very young to yield to the authority of their parents. Boundaries of behaviour are established in advance and then enforced with reasonable firmness. They learn honesty, integrity, humility, self-control, personal responsibility, sexual purity, concern for others, the work ethic, and the fundamentals of their faith. They are never subjected to humiliation, rejection, sexual exploitation, or abuse of any kind. Instead, they enjoy unconditional love and are raised ‘in the fear and admonition of the Lord.’
Let me leave you with this thought: When you and I have reached the end of our brief journey on this earth, nothing will matter more to us than the quality of our families and the depth of our relationship with God. ‘Meaning’ in this human experience is drawn essentially from these two sources. If that is true, then should we not live by those priorities every day that remains to us?
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