Tuesday 29 September 2015

IT BEGINS IN THE HOME

Christianity begins at home.

Love begins at home.

Often as young people we often dream of having happy homes but we can never have these if we have never learnt to do this in our often families.Often as ladies,we give much love to our friends and to those we hope to marry;but we often negelct loving those closest to us.God has impressed this in my heart and he has made it clear that I will never be able to submit to my husband,if I'm not submissive to my father.Also,how can I have loving relationships with other elderly woman if I do not show affection to my mother? And is it even godly to show more affection and respect to those outside my home,when I do not even appreciate my own parents?

Christ did not start serving outside his home.He spent 30 years ministering in the home.He was a cheerful helper to his father and mother.He practised kindness FIRST to his siblings.As young women or young girls we need to ponder on these points:

Do our mother's hearts beat with joy everytime they think of us?Are we our mother's helpers?Do we make their burdens lighter?Do we strengthen them when they are weary?Do we say a word in its appropriate season?Do we remind them how precious they are in our lives?Do we make time to listen to their trials and do we pray for them?

Do our brothers find solace in our presence?Is it easier for them to open their hearts to us?Can they come to us with their sorrows and disappointments?Do we cheer them along this way?Do they find it easier to not only share their struggles but also their joys with us?I am ever humbled when my brother shows me his test scripts when he's done well.In fact,I hope to share how God has beautified our relationship.About three weeks ago,he told me how glad he that I was in the same province as him.That really touched my heart seeing that he's not that type who often expresses love in words :).Can our brothers share their aspirations and future plans with us?

Can our fathers find comfort in our words as their daughters?Can our fathers come to us when they feel weak?Are we ever uplifting their weak hands or we are so focused on their ills that we see them as not deserving our respect?I know I have been angry at my dad for some time and I felt justified,but God calls us to honour our parents,to forgive and to love even at such instances.We often forget that our parents are humans too,that they are prone to sin.

To those who have sisters:can your sisters come to you with their problems because you don't make them feel like they are nobodys?Is your ear ever open to changes around your sisters?Is your eye ever open to their concerns?Can your sisters count on your prayers and does she aspire to be like you,as you aspire to be like Christ?

The statement below has helped me to realise my responsibility as a daughter and a sister:

"Friendships in the family require care and culture—as do other friendships. We must win one another's love inside the home doors just as we win the love of outside friends. We must prove ourselves worthy; we must show ourselves unselfish, self forgetful, thoughtful, and kind, tender, patient, helpful. Then when we have won each other we must keep the treasure of affection and confidence, just as we do in the case of friends not in the sacred circle of home.
If we have a friend whom we respect and prize very highly, we all know at what pains we are to retain his friendship. We are not sure of it, regardless of our treatment of him. We are most careful never to do anything to make us seem unworthy of the friendship. We try to prune from our own character, anything that would displease our friend. We cultivate assiduously those qualities of heart and life which he admires. We watch for opportunities to do kindnesses and show favors to him. We guard against whatever would wound him or cause him pain. We give him our confidence; we trust him and prove our affection for him in countless ways.
Let no one suppose that home friendships can be won and kept in any other way. We cannot depend on nature or instinct to do this for us. We must live for each other. We must gain each other's heart by giving just what we expect to receive. We must cherish the friendship that we have won. Unless we do, it will not grow. We must watch our words and our conduct. We must seek to please and take pains never to wound or grieve. We must deny self and live for one another. We must confide in one another. We must cultivate in our own hearts and lives whatever is beautiful, whatever is tender, whatever is holy, and whatever is true. Friendships in our own home, to be deep and true and heart satisfying, must be formed by the patient knitting of soul to soul and the growing of life into life, just as in other friendships"-J.R.Miller



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