| “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” |
| —Proverbs 1:8 |
In almost every case, the ultimate direction of children is set by their parents. Study after study has proven the value of a nuclear family unit, where a devoted and caring father and mother teach solid Judeo-Christian values to their children. This teaching of values is the only protective antidote to counter a society that increasingly celebrates a broadly distorted definition of “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and purposely ignores certain well-established truths.
Yes, I recognize that some would counter my assertion with reports of the reality of some particular situations, “some family” is better than no family. And, though seemingly quite rare, it is also possible to cite individual cases where non-nuclear families have produced well-adjusted children. But, in both cases, I fear that this “evidence” actually stands as outliers, where truly the “exception proves the rule.”
As Christians within the community of believers, we need to stand ready to help orphans and single-parent families to the maximum of our ability. We need to extend God-breathed love and also practical assistance. We need to provide solid support for these dear ones with strong and caring arms of love. We also need to encourage, value, and celebrate those mothers and fathers who work hard to form and maintain nuclear family units.
King Solomon expressed a worthy sentiment most eloquently in the opening verses of his Book of Wisdom, as recorded in Proverbs 1:8-9:
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
Let us pray that, in His mercy and great grace, God will strengthen and preserve our nuclear family units. And, may fathers and mothers teach their children the values of right living through belief the life-transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the life-shaping values that flow from devotion to Him. And, importantly, where our fellowships include orphans and single-parent families, let us do all we can to love them and support them fully.
Based on a blog originally posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2015
