A Dysfunctional Family

“But his brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” Genesis 37:4 NKJV

Somehow the Christian community has become obsessed with the idea of dysfunctional homes. It would seem from Christian literature that such an institution would be the result of great failure on the part of parents who have failed to parent or children who are too rebellious to be parented. It is an unfortunate guilt trip that should be examined just a little more closely. What we actually find throughout Scripture, when home life is being discussed, is the very picture of the so called modern dysfunctional family.

Granted, our family discussed in Genesis 37 wasn’t marked by much godliness and yet they were God’s people, called by God’s promises and from whom great prophecies would be fulfilled. Jacob, the usurper, who God renamed Israel, Prince with God, was not the prime example of Christian marital partner or parent. His wives squabbled and his children hated each other. King David, the man after God’s own heart, had multiple problems with his offspring. King Hezekiah, one of the truly good kings of Judah, had a son who turned out to be the butcher of Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph had four sons after the birth of Jesus who tormented Him to no end. I am not endorsing sin as the proper choice for the Christian home. I am encouraging you to know that God cares for your home and that when it goes awry, as sinful people will do, God still cares for your home and wants the best for you and yours. Be thankful today that if you don’t meet the standards of some author’s concept of the perfect Christian home, you are still God’s child and He will still lead you on and can bring great success where today there seems to only be great turmoil.

Dear Father, Thank You for Your constant love and the hope that You can make eternal order out of our daily chaos. Amen.

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