May and June are special months for recalling our love for family. It seems that Mother’s Day is far more popular than Father’s Day. This year, I misplaced three Mother’s Day cards I purchased for some of our extended family. It pains me because I know how expensive Mother’s Day cards are, and to think I had to repurchase three of them is painful. I headed to the store to find a whole section of pink Mother’s Day card slots, empty! Totally empty! Good Grief! And with a majority of stores closed, where am I going to find a Mother’s Day card on Saturday evening?

I have already purchased my Father’s Day cards and put them in a safe place. They may be as valuable as toilet paper and Lysol wipes. But I noticed, my Father’s Day cards were cheaper than the Mother’s Day cards? I realize I cared enough to send the best, but why are these cheaper? Maybe a government conspiracy?

God intended for the family to be the central unit of all relationships. When we live in a loving family, we have learned how to love one another in the Church. We can’t call someone in the congregation brother or sister if we don’t know how to love our brother or sister. In fact, Paul made it a test of one’s spiritual maturity and a quality of leadership in the Church.

Honoring one’s father and mother is the first commandment with a promise. Why? Perhaps when we honor our father and mother, we learn from their wisdom and lead lives of service and faith. If parents rear their children in the way they should go, they may wonder, but they will not depart from the truth of the Lord. This is certainly a truth I pray becomes a reality for my family and yours.

The world’s view of the family may have changed, but God’s perspective has not. All of us—men, women, young, or old—our character and Christian maturity start in the family and how we learn to treat one another. From watching the world, it is clear that some folks haven’t learned much about love, acceptance, and humility.

The way we rear our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren reveals a lot about what we value. Do we buy random gifts to replace true acceptance and love? Do we try to be a friend rather than a parental leader? Our children learn from us how to handle responsibility, how to respond to challenges, how to tell the truth, and how to keep our promises. It is not the public school’s job to rear our children. The congregation should be dedicated to supporting parents, but they are not responsible for rearing children. What kinds of support services does your congregation offer to families?

Our churches need to see family ministry as a significant part of ministry and programming. Cross and Crown Christian Store has resources available to support your families. Pastors, we need family retreats and workshops. Deacons, we need printed materials in the foyer to support families. Leaders, we need to be quick to refer marital challenge to credentials counselors like CareNet Counseling East for faith-centered support. Cragmont Assembly and Camp Vandemere have offered retreat options before, and I’m sure will work with you to do so again. We must take advantage of the services provided.

Close to 50% of marriages end in divorce. Why? Some of them were doomed from the beginning. They lacked solid Christian wisdom and friendly Christian admonition. In other cases, love died. However, regardless of the reason, these numbers should be different for those in the Church, but they are not. People are battling spiritually with sin and their struggle to be holy, and without support, they may fall to the enemy. We are already late to provide support…there isn’t time to wait longer.

Invest in your family! Invest in the families in your church! It may be the only way we’re going to make it through these uncomfortable days.