Christian Home

“Things are different than they used to be,” Uncle Jon told his sister. “They just have to get used to it.” Uncle Jon had gotten used to various changes in his Mennonite church life. As a young man, he got used to the idea of discarding the plain suit in favor of a lapel suit. (When Jon appeared ready for church in his new suit one Sunday morning, his father chuckled at the boldness of his son; his mother cried.) Jon enjoyed courting a young woman who also followed worldly fads, then got used to a wife who cut her hair and later discarded her covering.

Traveling down the freeway, I saw it again. The bumper sticker on the luxury motor home said, “We’re spending our children’s inheritance.” Would we have seen this forty or fifty years ago? I think not. What has changed?
My mind went to the Sunday morning devotional. Brother Merlin’s (all names changed for confidentiality) chosen Scripture centered around Proverbs 23:23. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Buy the truth? How does one do that? Sell it not; how could one sell the truth?

The greatest “project” or “venture” a married couple can embark on is bringing children into the world and raising them to maturity. All other ventures, whether it be in business or hobby, pale in comparison both to the cost of investment and yield for time and eternity.

This phrase is found three times in the Scriptures (ITi 3:2,12, Tit 1:6) and each time it is a qualification for an ordained man. What does this phrase mean? Does it mean ordained men could not practice polygamy but others could? Or does it mean a brother can’t be ordained if his first wife has died and he has remarried? Or perhaps it means that someone who is divorced and remarried cannot be ordained.

This is probably not a new concept to most of us; in fact, it may be in danger of becoming a cliché because of overuse. There is a lot of focus on this today and there should be. Few things are more important than the blessing of mutual satisfaction and communication from a healthy parent/child relationship. A home where the parents have the hearts of the children is a home that is ideally equipped to handle the stresses and turmoil of everyday life and simultaneously maintain an equilibrium of harmony, happiness, and stability.

Our discussion began when my seat mate commented that he had observed my wife across the aisle. In observing her modest attire, he had questions about our identity. This opened the door for me to feel free to ask him questions about his faith. He seemed happy to inform me that he was a devout Catholic.

What is a father? The dictionary definition is “a male parent” along with several other definitions in the realm of science and religion and society. The verb forms are more interesting – “to beget; to be the creator, founder, or author of; to act as a father toward; to assume as one’s own, take responsibility of, to perform the tasks and duties of a male parent.”

It could be said that value is in the eye of the beholder. Value is described as the importance or worth that we place upon something. We measure worth by the qualities we perceive. While viewpoints and perceptions vary greatly in the world today, most people place family and friends high on the list of what they value.

Godly marriages that last a lifetime are becoming scarce in the world. As a godly people we are concerned that the youth growing up in our homes find godly life companions and establish homes on the solid foundation of the Word of God. Courtship is an important time of finding God’s will for marriage.

Before beginning courtship, youth should establish a strong relationship with God. They need to know the joy of salvation. They should learn the blessing of worshiping their Creator God. Bible reading and prayer should become daily routines.

Dear Youth,
The onset of adolescence lies behind you, and you are journeying on a path toward manhood or womanhood. You are filled with a zest for life, a quest for knowledge, ambitious goals, and dazzling dreams. Yours is a thrilling age! Life lies before you. You are developing new skills, advancing in knowledge, and growing toward maturity. God has blessed you with opportunity to possess all things that pertain to life and godliness! Will you make right choices at the crossroads in your life?