Malachi 4:6 “He (Jesus) will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
The arrival of Jesus was for restoration of families and relationships. Jesus is the bridge between us and our earthly relationships. One of the greatest humanitarian crises of all times is disunity within the family. It is possible for the hearts of the parents and the children to become embittered, distanced and disillusioned by disappointments, distress or unmet needs. Parents and children who are disappointed with each other’s choices, actions and decisions, tend to resist and distance themselves from the relationship.
It is in the warmth of a home that children understand the affection, tenderness and kindness of our Heavenly Father and if the earthly fathers are abusive and mothers are negligent, the nature of ‘God the Father’ will be marred in their innocent hearts. Flawed human relationships can totally tarnish Godly connection.
Three important aspects for a healthy family:
1. Responsible: Parents are only “trustees” for their children. God entrusts children into the hands of the parents to love, care and nurture Godliness in them. Exodus 2:9 Take this child away and nurse him for me. The ownership is still with the Lord, parents are only responsible to provide, protect, tutor and train the children in the path of righteousness. Once they are adults, parents must learn to release them to live as responsible individuals and stop controlling, influencing or coercing. When parents don’t let go of their children, their sons never grow up to become responsible husbands or fathers and their daughters will not mould into virtuous wives or mothers.
2. Respectable: The words “obedience” and “respect/honour” are misunderstood by most families. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1) is misquoted to sons and daughters who are old enough to have children of their own! Parents who coach their children to make calculated careful decisions rather than controlling them out of anxiety will earn respect and not resistance. Possessiveness will only cause repulsion and contempt. The duty of a parent stops with training, guiding and most importantly praying for their children. When parents neglect their children during the formative years and try to correct or control them when they are adults, there will only be rift not respect.
3. Remarkable: The divine blessings of wholeness, fullness and completeness to life is hidden in honouring our parents. Exodus 20:12 Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. This applies even to partial, obnoxious or abusive fathers and controlling, sloppy or illogical mothers. Obedience to this commandment is not dependent on the precision of the parent. Honouring does not mean to be manipulated, controlled and massaged by their views but, to love, care and respect them unconditionally.
All terrestrial relationships will become relatable only when they are smeared with celestial love. The hearts of the parents will turn back to the children irrespective of their disappointments, and the hearts of the children will return back to the parents irrespective of their dysfunctions, when it is filled with the divine love of the Heavenly Father.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you give us earthly relationships to teach us that your divine love is far above all human love. Help me to show unconditional love to my family to express your unfailing love on me. Amen
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