by: Russell McLaughlin

Building Strong Families

Proverbs 22:6

6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old, he will not depart from it.

            As we read through God’s word, we see the importance of the family and the home.  In the Bible we see good and bad examples of parents and children and recognize the significance of strong healthy families.  Within the family, we are to experience love, growth, warmth, happiness, adventure, and discovery.  God designed the family for a special purpose: the family must be strong.  The question is what makes the family strong?

            To discover what makes families strong, Professor Nick Stinnett conducted several national studies and an international study on strong families.  One key criterion that was included was strong families had to show marital happiness and satisfaction with parent-child relationships.

            The results of the study were both intriguing and encouraging.  The findings were boiled down to six specific characteristics.  “Strong families,” he said:

1. Spend time together!

2. Express appreciation to one another other!

3. Have good family communication!

4. Can solve problems in a crisis!

5. Have a spiritual commitment!

6. Are committed to family!

               Look at the list.  Read it again, this time more slowly and thoughtfully.  Think about your family.  Isn’t it interesting how simple, yet profound, these six characteristics are?  Nothing new or novel was revealed.  Yet, these qualities when woven into the fabric of a family, setting that home apart from any other, giving it harmony, integrity, and stability. They help us build a family equipped to stand in the storms of life. May we all strive to achieve these characteristics more fully in our homes.

               Do something special for your Dad today on Father’s Day! May we work and pray to follow the Lord’s way (Ephesians 5:22-6:4) as we strive to build strong Christian homes.