A random illustration I read this week had me thinking a little bit more about our heavenly home.
Believe me, it is random.
But, I’m learning to pay attention to those things that settle in my brain for a bit.
It's often good to stir that pot!
It's often good to stir that pot!
The unforgettable usually incorporates something worth pondering…
Recently, I’ve been reading books and articles, researching information on the types of ways we as adults can help our younger generation ——— those, currently, in junior high and high school.
If there is one thing I learned during the years I worked in higher-ed, it’s that not every generation responds to the same approach when it comes to guidance in life-skills.
With so many of my grand-treasures approaching the age of this generation, if I’m going to be Super-Nana (ok, maybe not Super-Nana, but an informed-nana), then I better be on my toes. Right? Of course, right!
OK…back to random illustration:
A dad, living in the Northwest, was quite concerned about his teen-age daughter. He and his wife had raised their girl in what they hoped was a godly, Christian home. They had taken her to church from a young age, instilling biblical concepts in her from nursery to youth group, in their choices of educational instruction, and through family devotional times. Now, in high school, she had begun to date what he termed a “drug-abusing-Goth.” The parents were broken-hearted. Not knowing what their next steps should be, not wanting to alienate their girl any further, nor drive her away, the dad approached a well-respected mentor in his church. The friend’s advice was what caught my eye. In the form of questions, the friend challenged the father:
➽ Is home more attractive than the world around?
➽ What do you do together for investing in fun/play as a family?
➽ What kind of honest dialogues do you have about life…are questions and concerns allowed the freedom to be discussed with openness and vulnerability?
➽ What are you doing at home to challenge the status quo?
➽ Is there a life-problem, a purpose for your family to work on solving together? Is everyone included in the problem-solving?
➽ How are relationships being built together as a family unit?
The father took these questions to heart, tweaked his approach to leading his family, helped them find some new purpose that they sought to invest in as a family unit, interjecting some problem-solving that incorporated answering this question: how can we help; what difference can we make? Then, they followed up on that question by serving overseas in critical missions projects. It wasn’t long at all before the daughter broke off the relationship with the boyfriend, and gave her all to serving the Lord with whole-hearted passion.
This isn’t meant to be a “help” for fixing your family.
This is about how we live and portray our heavenly home to those in the family, and outside the family…
Is home more attractive than the world around?
Is there purpose attached to our home? A reason we want to be there…and, be present there…
Heaven is our ultimate home.
We’re just passing through this world.
We sing “heaven is a wonderful place…filled with glory and grace…I want to go there…”
But, do we?
Do we really believe it is a wonderful place?
Do we make heaven seem attractive to the rest of the world?
Do we make them want to come “home” with us?
Does “home” hold purpose and meaning for us?
How do we present heaven to those around us… what does a quick look through the lens of our churches, our small groups, our youth groups, our Christian homes and lives show in regard to what heaven might be?
Is it desirable?
Is it really all that wonderful that others want to go there, too?
These are convicting questions for me.
What do I portray to others about my home?
How about you?
If "home" holds no attraction, why would we want to be there?
Spend a minute reflecting on your perspective and listen to this song by Chris Tomlin on You Tube (click on link provided):
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