The home is the most important institution in the world. It is the first department in which a child learns to become a proper citizen – a man or woman of dignity and value. By home, I mean primarily the members of the family or more specifically, the father and mother.
Among the institutions for child training, the home has the largest share of the responsibilities. If the home fails, the Church, society and the school will be greatly affected. Many atrocities all over the world today, are a direct result of improper home training.
Drug addicts, armed robbers and fraudsters all have a family, because nobody dropped from the sky. Every living being today came from a family. If the respective families that make up a society fail to carry out their responsibilities, then the children which are products of the family will become dregs of the society. “Charity begins at home,” they say.
It is also important to understand that child raising in the home should be allowed to follow a natural process. While the formal method of training is good, you must use every opportunity that presents itself in the home to communicate morals across to the child. These include: mealtimes, when you are in the kitchen together, in the sitting room or even before bedtime. All these times that you may count as informal can be used to train a child.
It is in this atmosphere of love that the Holy Spirit is able to move freely, and the destiny of the child is easily realised. Thus, it is time to work on the atmosphere of your home and make it conducive for the Holy Spirit to move. God cannot dwell in a place where there is strife, fighting, envy and bitterness. Where such things are found, there will be room for all kinds of evil. The Bible says: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16).
The question you must answer is, “What kind of home do I have?” Is it a place of healing or centre of gossip, where you criticise everybody in your Church or office? I discovered something amazing in Jeremiah 22:29, which says: O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. Do you know that even the ground of your home absorbs what you say? So, when you abuse people, backbite or gossip, the ground is absorbing the words of your mouth! In other words, the words of your mouth are seeds being sown into your ground. Unfortunately, you are the one doing the sowing, but it is not only you who reaps it; your children also do. May you be a sower of good seeds!
Most importantly, the place of a woman in raising a child can never be overemphasised. This is because, to a large extent, it is the woman who determines the atmosphere of the home. Do you know that just by entering a home, you can feel the atmosphere in it? If there is bitterness, envy, strife, etc, you can sense it. However, where there is peace, love and joy, it is easy to tell also.
We are told that Napoleon Bonarparte, was asked what the greatest need of France was. He said, “Good mothers!” If I am asked what the greatest need of this generation is, I will also say the same. This is our greatest need because irrespective of your efforts on the adults of today, if you don’t raise responsible children, tomorrow might be bleak! So, child raising is an important aspect of the society.
However, until you are born again, you don’t have what it takes to make child’s training conducive. To be born again, you have to confess your sins and accept Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer in faith: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
Posted by Luckinson Akpos