Prioritizing Family

Prioritizing Family

“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

Genesis 2:23-24

IS YOUR FAMILY one of your top priorities? When we recognize that God established marriage and family as the most basic unit of society, family becomes extremely important. In fact, Psalm 68:6 tells us that in his compassion, “God places the lonely in families.”

Within family relationships, we recognize that the marriage relationship is more fundamental than the parent-child relationship. The above verses from Genesis 2 show just how unique the husband-wife relationship is. Not only was the first woman created from the man’s rib, but no other human relationship is described with such terms as “cleaving” or “becoming one.” Marriage is a lifelong, intimate relationship. By contrast, most children will eventually leave their parents and establish their own families.

If family is one of my top priorities, how will that affect the way I spend my time, money, and energy? When I serve my wife, I am also doing something for my children. I’m setting an example that I hope they will remember when they get married. One of the most important things you can do for your children is to love and serve your spouse. Nothing creates a more secure environment for children than seeing Mom and Dad loving each other. And nothing else cements your marriage relationship quite so well.

Father, thank you for putting such a high priority on families. Help me to keep that priority in my own life and to realize how my actions toward my spouse will affect my children for years to come.

Priorities