Home

It seems to me that the dual foci of the Christian life are 1) home, and 2) church.  Nowadays, this concept has a lot of competition.  In the old days, a farm family could labor hard at times, and watch the crops grow (and pray for the right rains) at other times.  One could go fishing, or one could have company.  There was often time to sit and talk.  Overarching all was Church and the Pastoral and Christian fellowship for mutual support that centered there.  This life could be very busy, but it was in tune with God's creation of the Family and of the Earth and of the Body of Christ.  In spite of the busy-ness at times, and the absolute dependence on the providence of God, this life was intrinsically "quiet" in a serious sense.

Nowadays, it's hard to find a family that has a quiet home life.  Not only are there media that can distract the attention of those who use them (and may be addicted to them), and which, taken to excess, destroy real life.  But, those who refuse these addictions via media may be caught up in a round of other ceaseless activities -- often child centered.  It could be too much sport.  It could be too much debate.  It could be too much politics, or too much music (and I say this as an amateur musician).  It seems that it is almost always competitive.  It almost always will involve activities not always connected with development of the virtues leading to a quiet life.  Fame, glory and ambition may masquerade as the virtues of "getting the best educational opportunities for my children."  The result is that many families are scarcely at home.  A quiet home life may be unnerving, or be viewed as a kind of deprivation.  Having been a "home-schooler" myself, I must say that my indictment applies to many in this movement, also.  The original idea behind "home-schooling," namely, that "home-schooling" is centered in a quiet and godly family life, may now be hard to find in our environment.

Developing a quiet home life requires sacrifices -- even sacrifices of good things, because many of the activities I've indicted ARE good.  The problem is that they have become the CENTER.  But, living in the world does not mean living like the world.  Good things can become idols.  Competition to be seen as the "best," in terms of power, is not a Christian virtue. 

May God help us to see the light, and to focus on things above, where our real life is centered in Christ!  This is not a call for nostalgia.  It is a call for the survival of the family.  When the home is a motel, and not a quiet refuge, and when the home is not the home of spiritual virtues and the contemplation of God's grace in Christ, then children grow up not knowing a home, and parents hardly know each other.  We are not living in this age, to get the fleshly glory that can be given by this age.  What pleases men is not what pleases God.  Dedication to "good things" can be idolatry, when the better things are displaced in our affections and understanding.

God helping us, let us have peace -- at home.  In our busy culture, this may require strong repentance and wrenching changes, but receives the divine enablement and reward.

Next time:  About "grown children" and single adults not in families.