I am thinking today of how our world has changed. I remember sayings from the past. “A man’s home is his castle.” “Home is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in.” I grew up in a world where home was relationships, refuge, comfort, protection; home was sacred, desirable, warm and cozy.
For many today, home is last place we want to be. We do not know how to enjoy family time. We do not appreciate the safety and tranquility of spending time with family. A few years ago, high gasoline prices cut into the holiday plans of a large number of families. An interview that was included in the evening news caught my attention. The woman who was interviewed reflected on the inability of her family to travel: “I feel like a prisoner in my own home.” When the adults do not like spending time in their homes, perhaps we can catch a glimpse of what’s wrong with our kids and with our society!
In our contemporary society, we are finding our joy in the wrong places, thinking that joy comes from the things and experiences on the outside when joy really comes from who we are on the inside. Our families remind us of who we are, and help us become what God intends us to be.