Family: The Foundation of America

When we look at our society today, you can find many things to blame for it’s not so ideal state. We can look at the race wars, the gender wars, the wealth gaps, the corporate greed, the constant arguing and in-fighting amongst our nation’s leaders. While all those factors are clear and present every day, they are merely symptoms of an even deeper wound – the fall of the traditional family. In our race to become the most advanced nation in the world and the greatest superpower to ever exist, we have become what Jesus talked about in Mark 8:36, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit (lose) his soul? We have lost our identity as a family unit, which in turn has diminished our neighborhoods, schools and churches, which in turn has diminished our cities, states, and nation as a whole. I remember the old saying when I was growing up, “it all starts at home,” and while that sounds so simple, we need to unpack what a “foundational family” looks like.

In Ephesians 5:21-6:4, we are given a great example of a traditional Christian family dynamic and what is expected of the husband, wife and children. While many reading this may not profess to any faith, there are foundational principles that can be adopted and modeled in your family even today. One of the main emphasis of these scriptures is that there is mutual respect and reverence for one another. The Golden Rule of “treat others how you want to be treated,” is also at work here. Wives submitting to husbands; husbands submitting to wives; children honoring and obeying their parents and fathers acting reasonably towards their children and raising them with a moral compass. Sounds easy, right? Yet due to selfish ambitions, moral failures, lack of empathy or emotional intelligence, we have made this basic math problem into Statistics 401!

I want to encourage men young and mature to go back to the basics of what a family is supposed to be. John Maxwell is famous for the quote that “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” As men, we are the leaders by original design of our families. When we are in our right place, it makes it exponentially easier for everyone else to be in their right place. Are we perfect? Do we know it all? Most certainly we do not, but as we pursue to restore our families and our nation, we should ask God to give us the wisdom, courage, passion, perseverance, and love to see it come to pass.

In the coming weeks, we will go further in depth to different aspects of the family and look through the lenses of God, His word, and modern society. Leadership is not for the faint of heart and to lead a family, it requires a heart that can handle anger, disappointment, fear, and every form of adversity that will come our way. I will share my triumphs, failures and lessons learned that will prayerfully help you fortify your family fortress for the battle ahead. Other brothers will share wisdom and insight to challenge us to be better and not bitter. Stay encouraged my brothers and remember: You are not in this alone!        

Written by: Reggie L. Carter