Family Life

Colossians 3: 20, 21

 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Once we are in a healthy relationship with our spouses, because we’ve brought our brokenness to the Lord, and he heals us so that we can love…

Then comes the children.

Children are told to obey their parents in everything because it pleases the Lord.  However, we must read the following verse that instructs fathers to not “embitter” their children.

Becoming embittered happens when we lose hope and become bitter because of that lack of hope.  For example, soldiers in constant battle can become embittered towards war.

If our children see their parents at war with one another all the time, this will embitter them and discourage them, and they may begin to disobey – not because they’re bad children – but because they lose respect for their parents.

God states it so simply how the family is to work in a healthy way, but we make it so complicated.

We must love, submit, obey, and do all of this as fitting in the Lord – because he’s our ultimate example and father who loves us – if we will just receive his love.

It’s then easy to give that love to others.