“If we aren’t careful, instead of encouraging
worshipping families, we become family worshippers.” Jason Helopoulos
Today is the Annual Chicago Marathon. Runners
from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish a
personal dream of reaching the finish line in Grant Park. Chicago is one of the six major world marathons.
It’s limited to 45,000 runners on a first-come, first-serve basis. The official
distance of a marathon is 26 miles and 385 yards. My good friend, Scott
Ziegler, is running the Chicago Marathon today.
Marathons began in commemoration of the
fabled run of the Greek soldier, Pheidippides. After their victory over the
Persians, Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news. But modern
marathoners run further than Pheidippides did…and they do so because of the
self-absorbed whim of one English queen. Until 1908, marathons averaged 25 miles.
The 1908 London marathon was originally to run
from downtown Windsor
to the White City Stadium, a distance of nearly twenty-six miles.
Queen Alexandra, however, had another idea.
Originally, she planned to watch the end of the grueling race from her royal
box in the stadium, but she wanted her children and grandchildren to be able to
view its beginning. So the starting line was extended to the lawn of Windsor Castle, so the Queen’s offspring could
watch from the windows. That made the distance of the marathon 26 miles plus, 385
yards. While it might seem like a minor addition, it wasn’t for the frontrunner
that year, Dorando Pietri. This twenty-three year old Italian led for most of
the race yet collapsed less than 100 yards from the finish line. Those extra 385
yards cost him the race. And in 1921, the International Amateur Athletic
Federation chose the distance of the London Marathon –26 miles, 385 yards—as
the new standard course. The next time you watch those final, punishing moments
of a marathon, remember Queen Alexandra who was thinking of family first but
apparently no one else. I’m sure Dorando Pietri never forgot her.
What’s wrong with “family first?” God must be
first. Anything else is idolatry. Idolatry isn’t just worshipping a Buddha or some
other idol. Idolatry is very insidious. And a great temptation for Christians,
possibly because our culture is increasingly anti-family, is to “worship our
family.”
Am I suggesting we ignore or become
anti-family? Absolutely not! Marriage
and children are gifts from God. Idolatry occurs when we take a good
thing and make it a god thing. While we’re often blind to this idol, this
idolatry isn’t new. God didn’t have Pharaoh’s attention (Exodus 11) until He
killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt. Every plague that came down
on Egypt
confronted a god that they worshipped. God saved the final judgment, the
killing of the firstborn, for the greatest idol of all – the idol of family. Finally,
He had Pharaoh’s attention.
When our family becomes our greatest source
of meaning, purpose, significance and joy, it becomes idolatry. Jesus must be first
in our life. It’s tempting to make our family
name and reputation great. Our focus though must be to make God’s name great,
not ours. If we aren’t careful, instead of encouraging worshipping families, we
become family worshippers. Recently, I read a blog by Jason Helopoulos. His
article suggests possible signs we’re worshipping our family. Let me warn you,
they’re very convicting.
We seldom, if ever, use our home to
minister to others. When our home is seen primarily as a fortress set
against the world, there’s a problem. A home centered on Christ is marked by
growing hospitality. We gladly invite others into it for encouragement, strengthening,
and to share Jesus. We realize what’s been given to us by way of our homes is a
gift from God. We are managers of His gifts, not owners.
We hardly ever reach out to others.
Do others really know us, even in our church? If our family is so insular that
others don’t know us, there’s a problem. A Christian family filled with love will
overflow to those around them. Neighbors, co-workers and relatives can’t help
but be touched by the love that permeates in and flows out from our family.
We seldom serve in our local church. If
we’re so busy with “our schedule” or on just being a family that we can hardly attend
any other church activities, there’s a problem. If parents can’t serve in any
ministry, there needs to be a re-evaluation. And what better way to teach our
children to serve as Jesus did, than by letting them see us serve. As a family,
we’re to see ourselves as part of the local church community, not separate from
it, or more important than it, yet essential to it.
We seldom have any time for those
outside our family. When our family is always busy with its own
activities, whether sports or music or even family vacations, to the point that
we have little time for others, there’s a problem. The enrichment and growth of
our children, even in spiritual things, isn’t to pull us away from people but
towards them. It’s true that we only have so many years to train and teach our
children while they’re at home. But what are we really teaching them? To be
self-absorbed? Narcissistic? Are we teaching them they’re the center of life?
Or, are we teaching that worshipping Christ…loving others is what’s most
important?
We seldom sacrifice. If our
family is reluctant to give generously because of what it costs our family,
there’s a problem. If we don’t give at all or give so sparingly because the
family and our future, like our children’s college education comes first, we
need to re-evaluate our finances. Somehow there is always an excuse for not
using the money God has given us to worship Him or help others. Sadly, it’s usually
our family’s need that provides the ground for that excuse. God’s children are
to be generous and model generosity generationally, even to the point of giving
sacrificially.
We seldom have any flexibility.
If others feel they’re always interrupting our family by calling, visiting, or
proposing a time to get-together, there’s a problem. Others usually notice it
before us. They begin to feel our family’s routine just can’t be interrupted.
We forget that every minute is a gift and we’re stewards of the time God has given
us. Our family should be known for flexibility and joy when others stop by,
friendliness when called, and availability when needed.
We seldom speak well of others.
If our family tends to have an arrogant air about it, there’s a problem. It’s
“we have it together, others don’t.” Our conversations are negative, critical
and judgmental. God hates pride! Our families should be filled with thanking
God for others. Our children should hear us commending and promoting others. Outsiders
should find that we’re refreshing to their souls, rather than critical of their
practices.
Yes, we must enjoy and treasure our families.
We need to pour out our lives and hearts into ministering to our spouse, raising
our children in Christ, and filling our homes with the love and truth of
Christ. However, in so doing, let’s make certain we’re worshippers of Jesus
first, worshipping Him together in our worshipping families.
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