Community Begins With Family

It's been said that it takes a village to raise kids. Well, they're wrong. It takes family.

You don't have a village if nobody comes to the area to live. And the village doesn't grow if there are no growing families.

Without kids, why have a community playground?  A park? Parades? If there's no kids in a community, there's no reason to build a school. There are tons of things that happen in your area that take place because it involves family.

Family is where you learn unconditional love; right and wrong; to value life, to value relationships, to communicate through differences, respect, a sense of belonging, deference, self-esteem, the act of sharing...

When the family fails to function in a healthy manner, the above list and more begins to deteriorate. We don't understand love, right or wrong, or how to communicate. We don't value life, or others. We don't like or respect ourselves and thus, can't offer the same to those around us.

It's all me and my way and your in the way. And we see, daily now, communities deteriorating. Why? Because of the decline of families in general, and healthy families specifically. I had my moment of reality-check the other night regarding healthy family. I had to apologize to my 7-yr old the other night. Placing someone else above myself. Communication, respect, value of the relationship, right and wrong, unconditional love.

If I want to raise a healthy adult, I have to demonstrate what that looks like to them. And when I don't do so well, I need to acknowledge and correct it. In the middle of that, "I'm sorry" was required. Forgiveness, a hug, and a few moments communicating about how we move forward, closing the time with "I love you" and we were back to health.

#communitySaturday is here again and we need to pray for healthy families. Pray for unconditional love and genuine respect for life to be restored. Pray for proper communication of differences, to value relationships and to know right from wrong. Pray for a greater sense of responsibility to know when to take the high road and not respond in ways that are detrimental to one's spirit. Pray for the ability to apologize when required and the desire to forgive even when difficult. Pray for a returning to God; the example of unconditional love, the author of right and wrong, creator of life, who valued relationships to the point of sharing (aka: giving) His Son in the greatest act of deference...in order that we may experience "communion"...community with Him and with those around us. As we engage community, may we share the joy of being able to say, "I'm so glad I'm a part, of the family of God."

As it goes with family, so goes the community. As it goes with communities, so goes a nation. God we need your help.

-PNC

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