When we think of the “home” that we have built with our family, consider the story of the three little pigs. We have to choose which little pig we would like to be. Do we want to dwell in a home made of straw, wood, or brick? Which one is safer for our family? The material that we choose to build our home from is what we are putting our trust in, in order to protect everything that we love inside. If a storm comes now, our home must be sufficient to protect the investment that we have put into it thus far.
The façade of your Godly home is a reflection of your relationship with God. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to rejoice, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all things; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Did you catch that? This is God’s will for you!! Rejoicing, giving thanks, and praying bring you into deep relationship with God; this is the brick and mortar that surrounds your house. If your relationship with God is weak, then your house is built with straw and sticks, unable to withstand the wolf’s huffing and puffing. Aligning ourselves with God’s will makes our homes stable, sturdy, and protective, just as brick should be.
Once the house has been built, there will be a big mess that must be cleaned up before the family moves in. Cleaning up the job site is like cleaning out the things that no longer belong in your life. You wouldn’t move your furniture into a dirty house, would you? Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2. We must align ourselves with the mind of God, transforming our old ways to His ways. This means something different to different people. Perhaps you need to clean up attitudes and habits, or maybe you need to clean up some external relationships that no longer benefit your life. It could also be a physical cleanup of your house. Several years ago, my husband and I created an outline for the things that we allowed in our homes. With three children at the time, we wanted a home free of things that could cause them to sin. We removed every book, movie, and music cd that we didn’t feel that the kids could pick up and indulge in without losing innocence. When Jesus spoke to people, He said that those who didn’t receive the Kingdom like a child would not enter it. Therefore, may we strive for an innocent and pure mind.
The very last part of building our home is the best part- moving in our stuff! But on moving day, it’s important to have everything labeled and put in the rooms correctly. You don’t want bathroom things in the kitchen and bedroom things in the living room; and you want to be sure the most important boxes are in a place that you can find them right away, or you will end up with nothing to wear and nothing to cook with. Organizing our priorities is aligning with the heart of God. The Bible says, Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33. We are to love God above all others, but we are also told to love our spouse second only to God. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25 This means before ourselves and our desires, before our children’s desires, before our careers. Our seeking God should be the most important thing, and our spouse should come next. After our spouse come our children and other family. If we get things out of specific order, then we end up scrambling around, with no clue what to focus on.
We can put everything we have into building our lives and our homes for righteousness, but will they stand the test of time? Only if we stay aligned with the will, mind, and heart of God! We must stay in relationship with Him; we must put Him above all things and our spouses above all other people; and we must ensure that our lives stay free of ungodly debris, whether it be people, material possessions, traditions, whatever. A house that is aligned to the word of God is sure to weather the very worst that the enemy can throw at it. When we invest in our families, like building our homes, we get out what we put in. It’s not something that we can rush through, or do only on weekends, and expect to get a solid structure that will last forever. It takes quality time, investment, passion, diligence, and love and focus. I pray that we all could build “homes” that last forever instead of homes that will crumble at the slightest storm.
Self-Reflection
In regard to your relationship with God, is your façade built of straw, wood, or brick?
Deeply consider your life and home. Are there people, habits, or things that need to be “cleaned?”
Have you followed the organization rules that God laid out in the Bible? Is God first, your spouse second, and everyone else last?