I built this diningroom table for our first house. We had hundreds of happy family meals around it.
Scripture
Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11
Observation
There are some homes that the front door opens into idyllic peace. There are other houses where it seems lightning is about to strike. My wife, who is the veteran of four church nurseries over the past 25 years, can detect the homes with unhappy marriages by the way children play. Every house has an atmosphere that is generated by the people living in it.
How can we create a good climate in our homes? Paul gives three operative words: encouragement, harmony and peace. If we need any evidence of how well these words work, just think of homes filled with the opposite: sarcasm, discord and strife. It’s obvious these words work.
Encouragement: that starts with a deliberate choice to say “good morning” with a smile and hug and tailgates through the day to back family up with constructive words. Yesterday my wife said one uplifting sentence about my work well that gave me 10 hours of enthusiasm. Every man needs a cheerleader, but he won’t have one unless he regularly dates the woman on the sidelines.
Harmony: that is the choice to fit into the relationships around me. If I’m angry I may want to play off key or sing another song all together. We call disharmony argument, strife, independence, etc. Harmony is my choice to blend into my family and bring the most out of the people around me. It starts by listening when I want to talk or get to work. It extends by helping those around me achieve their hopes for the day while on the way to my own. It is built on respect and service.
Peace: this word suggests an end of conflict but there is a positive side that is often overlooked. Peace is not just the absence of war but the presence of good relationships. The first is obviously with Christ. When he is in the home there is a deep contentment. But peace is the choice to be together in love. Peace starts with the simple act of eating at least one meal together each day. The microwave is endangering the home not with radiation but with a convenience that allows everyone to eat on their own schedule. Where is the family dinner table in contemporary homes? Peace comes when I chose to stop what I’m doing, adjust my schedule, sit down with those I love, show interest in their world and do what we all love best…eating and laughing. Peace is the result of presence.
The reward for doing these three things is that our heavenly Father shows up at the door with love and peace.
Prayer
Father, I want today more than every to have a home filled with encouragement, harmony and peace. My home is great but I want it even better. Show me how to be secretively deliberate about this today. Amen.
