What Were They Applauding?

I had the privilege of speaking in a church recently. One moment gave me pause while I was speaking.

I was surprised with an applause while I was speaking. I was the only “white guy” at a Nigerian church in London, ON Sunday. I was sharing about the amazing framework from Connected Families that helps keep our minds centred on grace-filled beliefs in our parenting struggles. I said, mostly in passing, that my parents live with me and the congregation applauded. Is it strange or unusual to live with parents in the same house? I’ll let you ponder why this was so important to them. Why do you think? You can find the moment at the 54:21 mark from the video link below. 

One example of placing a high priority on family values is how we’ve decided as a family to live with my parents. This isn’t mandated in Scripture and every family is different, but what do we make of Paul saying to Timothy: “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). Yikes!

One thing I know is that family is fragile and to be cherished!

There are too many father’s absent physically or emotionally from their homes, there are too many spouses setting weak examples of what the Gospel of reconciliation looks like, there are too many seniors left to themselves in isolation. We can go on and on about the selfishness that is in our hearts (mine too) that leads to brokenness rather than the hope of restoration that we have in Christ. Let’s be beacons of hope and push back the darkness with the light together!

Would you like to see our culture place a higher value on caring for each other in families as God designed?

Let’s chat.