The Christ-Centered Family

    I was personally inspired by a story I read yesterday concerning a family that gives part of its time each week to work in a soup kitchen.  This family goes to a community kitchen each week and they work together preparing and serving food to people who are in need.  The mother, in response to why they did this instead of many other things they could be doing, said  that they do it because they are Christians.  She also noted that “the children love it.”

     This is a family that is teaching their children the value of service to others.   They are not just talking about Christian values.  They are demonstrating them.  Here are some of the things which are important in Christian parenting, and which are demonstrated by this wonderful family. 

     First, they are doing Christian work together as a family.  Most Christian families go to church together, or they read the Bible together, but their acts of service are often separate.  I look forward to taking my children on a mission trip when they get a little older, but even when they are young we need to find opportunities to serve together.

     Second, they are doing something selfless.  They are not getting paid for their service; in fact it costs them time and resources to serve.  But they are demonstrating to the children that there is joy in serving selflessly.  Many family activities have no benefit beyond the family.  Family chores, sports, and family vacations are all great activities, but they primarily benefit the family members.  They are not acts of Christian service.  The great secret of Christian service is that it generates happiness and joy for the server.  When young people realize that being a Christian can give them more happiness than anything else, they will be much less prone to looking for happiness in the wrong places.

     Third,  children need to see people who are having trouble in life.  They need to see what poverty and suffering really look like.  Our children often think they are suffering if they don’t get dessert after dinner, or if they have to do their chores on time.  Children should not be insulated from the realities of life, especially as they approach the pre-teen years.  They need to learn to appreciate what they have, and to be thankful to God and their working parents for their blessings.  Meeting people who are really suffering can help them understand some deeper wisdom about life and can generate many great opportunities to share our values with our children.  

     For all you families who are doing Christian service with your children, I honor you.  Let us all pray that the Lord will open our eyes to opportunities for Christian service for our families.