By Dr. J. Wayne Kilpatrick
The Bible tells us there are many homes. There was the home in the Garden of Eden, the first home the world has ever known. There was the home of Jacob, where there was a great love and yet many tragedies. There was the home in Bethany which Jesus loved to visit. There was the home of the Prodigal Son, a home which reached out to the far country and brought a wandering boy back to his father’s arms. There was the home of Aquila and Priscilla where a New Testament church was organized. There was the home in Nazareth where Jesus grew to manhood. But the sweetest home on earth is the Christian home. It is a home where Christ is the head, a home where the father and the mother and the children love God and live for each other.
Jesus tells us of two houses. One was built upon the rocks and it stood, the other was built upon the sand and it fell. It behooves us today to build our homes on the Rock. Too many people are building their homes upon the sands, the sands of sin and worldliness and pleasure. These homes are going to fall. The only home that will stand is the one that is built upon the Rock and that Rock is Christ.
Those who refer to underprivileged children usually speak of those who do not have the right kind of food or clothing or educational advantages. But I would like to say that the underprivileged child is the one who is brought up in a home where Christ is not known. A child may have a lovely home to live in, he may have the best clothes, he may go to the finest schools and have plenty of spending money, but if Christ is not in that home, the child is cheated of the highest privilege of life. On the other hand the home may be very poor and the privileges few, but if Christ is in that home the child is greatly blessed indeed. Some of you can remember the Christian home in which you were reared. You remember the godly man who was your father and the sweet-faced mother who prayed for you. You remember how they lived, you remember the blessing at the table and the family altar. You remember how your parents tried to bring you up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
One thing that breaks a minister’s heart is to think of the thousands of homes in every city where Christ is not honored. The children in those homes are indeed underprivileged. Their parents never go to church, they never read the Bible, they never pray, in fact, God is left out entirely. There is no Christian example, there is no Christian teaching. The children will grow up and some day break the parents’ hearts in sin. Oh, may God help you mothers and fathers to be Christians! Quit putting material things and pleasure and sin first in your lives. Give Christ a place in the heart and home. Do this for the sake of the children, for your own sakes, for Christ’s sake.
One Comment
Renee Moore
Amen!