A Family Makeover

There are many programs on television that feature house makeovers. An older house or one that is in poor condition is completely restored. People go to great expense to have this done, sometimes exceeding their budget to have it just the way they want it. In reference to this the thought has come to mind how important it is to have a family makeover. What kind of home life will inhabit this beautifully restored house? One would like to think that within each house will live a family happily ever after. We know, however, that this is not the case. While home reconditioning is a big part of the real estate market, the family structure has been allowed to deteriorate.

With high divorce rates, single parent households, domestic violence, generational curses, and dysfunctional families, there is certainly a need for restoration. The question is how much is being done about it? People are willing to go to any expense to make a run down house look like new, but don’t see a need to do whatever is required to bring healing to relationships within a family.

Just like tools and resources are needed to bring new beauty to a house, they are also necessary to revitalize a family environment. What are these tools and resources? Here are some: counseling, marriage seminars, anger management classes, date nights with your spouse, doing activities as a family, and family nights where quality time and valuable conversations replace all media, including cell phones. These are just a few examples, but each family can think of things that would work best for their situation. Sure, some of these require time and money, but so does a house makeover. Where are the priorities? What is more important, a nice looking house or a well functioning family?

I am not saying it is wrong to have a nice house to live in, but what is going on within its walls is more important. People need to put time, money, and focus into their home’s inside environment as they do their outside house appearance. A house is no better than the family that dwells within. When your neighbors look at your house what have they observed and heard coming in and out of it?

The answer to reconditioning families is to include the spiritual dimension. The Bible says in Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…” Decide together as a family that you will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)  If you have not yet done so, make Jesus Christ part of your life and the center of your home. He will truly give you a family makeover.