Security Checks for Families

Monday, April 1, 2002

Commercial flying has become even more of an adventure recently than it was before - especially with the closer scrutiny you get going through airline security. They x-ray, they wand passengers and search passengers, they do more hand searches of your bag, and they check for explosive residues. And they confiscate lots of things - knives, fingernail files, tools, box cutters, clippers. And very few passengers are objecting. I mean, we know that if you want to avoid tragedy, you have to not let on anyone or anything that could do something damaging.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With today about "Security Checks for Families."

Families need to follow a similar security procedure. No, not making everyone go through a metal detector and a wand search before they come in the house. I mean each member of your family needs to be sure they don't bring anything into the life of your family that can cause damage, or even tragedy. And there are things we each can bring into our home that hurt. We just have to stop letting them in.

Ephesians 5, beginning with verse 21 - our word for today from the Word of God - suggests four ways a family member can make things crash at your house. And no matter what your role in your family, there's something for you in these verses. The basic principle of a family that works is this: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." In other words, a family works when each person is doing his or her part to put the other people first. With that in mind, let's look at four ways - actually four people - who can sabotage a family. Listen for the one that applies to you.

For the husband, this "submitting to one another" goes like this: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, to make her holy ... and to present her to Himself as a radiant church." God's kind of husband is daily sacrificing his self-interest for his wife's best - and, as a result, helping her become more radiant than she's ever been before. You can tell a woman who's married to a man who makes her feel that special. So, the first person who can sabotage a happy family is a selfish husband. If you're a husband, don't bring that kind of "bomb" aboard.

If you're a wife, it's supposed to look like this: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." God's kind of wife is loyal, supportive, respecting her husband's God-given responsibility as leader of the home. So, the second person who can sabotage a family is a defiant wife.

OK, let's move on to a son or daughter - "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." God goes on to promise unique blessings to a child who respects Him by obeying his parents. Saboteur # 3 - a rebellious child.

And if you're a parent, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children. Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." You can exasperate your child with crushing expectations, hypocritical living, much criticism, little encouragement. So, a frustrating parent can also bring damage to what otherwise could be a great flight.

A selfish husband, a defiant wife, a rebellious child, a frustrating parent - they each bring things onto your family's flight that can bring it down. But we each can do our part to make our home a safe place to be, where people are built up, not torn down. We each have a position to play - to bring love and encouragement and respect to the other members of our family - whether they're doing it or not. Be sure you're not bringing things aboard that can hijack your family's happiness.