My Family & I

My Family and I

Introduction: About a month agoI shared a message entitled, ‘Blessing or Burden’

You are (can/should be) a gift to your family.

Ways to be a blessing to your family: (I am going to try and keep this light-hearted).

1. Honour and Respect.

Application: If I’m honest, I fear/worry we’ve lost out on this point the past couple of generations.

The bible is big on respect!

Commandment #2 – Honour thy Mother and thy Father.

First command with a promise. ‘Then you will live a long, full life in the land.’

Leviticus 19:3, ‘Revere / reverence’ mother and father.

Question: What if my father and mother ‘were/are’ terrible & abusive.

• Try to empathize with their circumstance.
• Cannot blame for everything.
• Never verbally or physically assault!

• 2. Demonstrate Love (true).

Question: What does love look like in a family?
1 Corinthians 13 – Patient, kind, long-suffering, etc.

3. Be loyal.

Honour traditions & obligations. Family first!

Be emotionally present with support and encouragement.

Breakups, death, etc.
Warning! Unfortunately, blind family loyalties typically occur unconsciously, unbeknownst to the follower, and done in an effort to maintain peace and homeostasis within the family.

Sometimes, the blindly loyal family member will ignore or reject concrete examples of a family’s damaging behaviours and actions in a deliberate attempt to avoid causing tension within the family.

4. Spend more time.

Application: At the end of the day…family is what remains.

• People come and go – Move, they marry.
• Circumstance’s change – Children, work.

• 5. Be accountable in a genuine, honest, and kind way.
  

Application: Others best interest should be our motivation / foundation.

• Do your best not to be judgemental.
• Don’t be arrogant and bossy.
• Don’t interfere where/when not your place.

• 6. Forgive (whole-heartedly).

• 7. Have fun / Make memories.

Conclusion: Romans 12:18’ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (NKJ)