Future Family (1) – Ideally Speaking

Today is the last day of August and after this three day weekend summer could be officially over for many of us. Gone will be the days of vacations and kids are back in school again. Even though you and I enjoy our summer vacations with our kids, but let’s be honest, isn’t there a sense of relief when they are back in school? That we don’t have to think about how to entertain them and also hosting our out of town relatives at the same time? I can hear the sigh of relief from moms in the audience already!

As much as we want to enjoy our time with our families we may also agree that at times we just want to get away. Because while we can pick our friends none of us gets to pick our families of origin. As a result, family relationships can be the most challenging in our lives. But they can also be the most rewarding. No one’s family is perfect, but is it possible to aspire to an ideal? Is it even worth it when we live in a world that is less than ideal?

Moving Forward

Are we willing to embrace a standard that many of us have or will fall short of or will we redefine terms until we feel good about where we are? Are we willing to aim our children towards a destination we never reached or will we redefine normal? Jesus didn’t leave us much of an option. We can’t lose sight of God’s original ideal in spite of cultural shifts and our own failures.

Discussion Questions

1. What is one of your favorite childhood family memories?

2. Read Ephesians 6:1–2 and Colossians 3:18–21. How do these passages challenge your assumptions and experiences about family life?

3. What do you hope your children experience in family that you did not?

4. What is one thing you can do this week in your interactions with your spouse, parents, or children to better live out the New Testament family ideal?