In the business of every day life, we sometimes forget to think about where we came from and the importance of family. Technology has made it easy to trace our ancestors and see exactly what our family tree looks like.
In the book of Luke the ancestry of Jesus is listed clear back to Adam. We may not be able to search back quite that far, but I did trace mine back to the early 1700’s. They came over from England and settled in New York and Rhode Island. From there they went to Illinois, where my great, great grandparents were born. The family moved then to Arkansas and finally settled permanently in Texas. By this time, most of them were farmers. The land in Texas was vast and rich for producing cotton and wheat back then.
Our family ran on a schedule that seldom varied. Mama had breakfast ready when we got up in the morning, dinner, which we called the mid-day meal, was at noon and supper was at 6 pm…. and we all ate at the kitchen table. Bedtime was when the evening news was over at 9:30…. this changed later to 10:00, giving us an extra thirty minutes. When the lights went out, you’d best be in bed.
Families have changed a lot since then and schedules are not so strict. Eating at the table may seldom happen and bedtimes vary according to age and convenience. Rules are often not adhered to and parents are absent, leaving the youngest members to fend for themselves. Children set their own bedtimes or fall asleep watching TV.
Certain things were not allowed in our house. Off-color jokes and cuss words were met with reprimand and used mostly by older men….like Daddy, when he was upset. Sex was never spoken of openly when children or both men and women were present.
Sunday was the Lord’s day and no work or household activities, such as sewing, were done. If something absolutley HAD to be done, my mama would say, “My ox is in the ditch. That’s the only reason I’m doing this today.” We were all familiar with Jesus’ teaching concerning the Sabbath in Luke 3-5.
With the popularity of television, meals were often eaten in the living room. Life became more fast-paced with every new invention and families became the victims of progress. I truly believe that this breaking away from family and the traditions that revolved around God’s teachings are what caused the downfall of our country. When God is not considered, common sense goes out the window.
Maybe the best way to rebuild our country would be to strengthen our families. Getting people back to God’s ways and honoring our fathers and mothers sounds like a good place to start. God gives clear directions on how family members should treat each other.
Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 5: 33 …..and the wife, see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 6: 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise. 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
