It Takes A Family
Submitted by Pastor Dennis Leatherman
January 2, 2025
Several years ago, a former First Lady wrote a book entitled, "It Takes a Village." In her book she suggests that to raise good, healthy, mature, and responsible children, it takes a village. It does not take a village or the government to raise good, healthy, godly children.
In Genesis 6:5-13 the entire world, with its leadership, educational system, society, and entertainment was wicked and ungodly, yet in the midst of all this, Noah and his family walked with God. Yes, we can have good, strong, godly, Christ-like homes without the government and society's intrusion. We can have happy, wholesome, holy marriages with good, godly, and grateful children.
It does not take a village, or social workers, or school boards, or government agencies to raise our children for the Lord.
However, it does take:
1. A Family – Gen 2:18-25. Ge 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Marriage and the family is God's institution, not the government's, and it is the very basis of a strong and stable society. I believe the moral and spiritual breakdown of our society can be traced directly to the moral and spiritual breakdown of our homes and families.
2. A Bible. Ps 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
No one has been down this road of life before. We need God's Word, the Bible to be our guidebook in life and in the home. The Bible is our marriage and child-rearing road map. The Bible is our final and flawless authority on marriage, home, and child training. We need to read the Bible personally, as a family, and memorize it diligently. Study it's instructions on the family, fatherhood, motherhood, and children.
3. A Saviour. Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Jesus Christ is not just "number one" in my life, He IS my life. Let's make Jesus Christ the center of our homes. Before we make any decision affecting our home and family, let's ask ourselves, "What would the Lord Jesus want us to do in this matter according to His Word?"
We are not dependent upon any "village" or government agency to have strong, godly, happy, spiritually strong homes and families.
Consider – We need good and loving parents, the Bible as our guidebook, and a love for the Lord Jesus that governs all our actions.
