Unity Starts At The Family Level

(28 October 2022)

This morning I heard the Lord say: “unity starts at the family level”.

Many are praying for unity in the body of Christ. What is interesting, is that many of those who pray for unity, lack unity in their own family. I am not talking here about families that contain a mixture of believers and unbelievers. “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? – 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV). I am talking about actual households where all are believers and profess Christ as Lord.

The Lord took me to 1 Timothy 3. In this chapter, Paul outlines a guide for Timothy to follow when it came to choosing overseers and deacons in the church. The Lord drew my attention, particularly to 1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NIV) – He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

If believers in a household can’t even get along, sort out their differences, stop quarrelling, biting and devouring each other, what hope is there for them to them get along with other believers in the body of Christ? If you can’t even love, respect, forgive, and serve those in your own household, how will you be able to do that in the “bigger church household”? 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV) – Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Should the unity you are praying for not start in your own family? If every household of believers works on themselves to keep unity, love and peace in their homes, honour Jesus and glorify Him through their actions, then how much more appealing would that not be to the rest of the body of Christ to work in unity?

We sometimes look outside of our families to make an impact for Jesus. Perhaps the reason why you have not been able to make much of an impact outside of your family is that perhaps you have undealt issues in your family that God wants you to manage well and take care of first so you can represent Him well.

Each follower of Christ is responsible for his/her walk with God. Each one will give an account of himself/herself to God for deeds done while here on earth. What is your excuse going to be? “Sorry, God, I know I did wrong but my brother/sister/husband/wife have done this and that and said this and that and therefore I can’t forgive them, show them respect, or love”. What do you think Jesus will say to you then? “My child, have I not forgiven you all your offences? Why then do you not forgive them? Do I not say to turn the other cheek? If your enemy hates you, should you not still operate in love even if they do wrong?”. You see, it is not about what they have done or said, it is about what you do in return for what has been done and said to you. Justice will be done and wrongs will be brought to account. But if each one will take responsibility to keep their hearts pure in accordance with God’s Word, then that is where change truly occurs.

Instead of praying next time for unity in the body of Christ, pray and ask the Lord to show you how you can bring and maintain unity in your own household. If an entire household can stand together with one heart and one mind, they would be a terror to darkness and would be able to accomplish much for the Kingdom of God.

Be blessed 😊