The Main Goal For Our Homes

By bro Lee Tian Seng

The world teaches us to seek materialistic goals and so some families spend more time in achieving these goals than any other goals. Some of the worldly goals that families pursue are:

1. Material possessions.

Some families are focused on earning more money, buying bigger houses and going for family vacation trips. We need to beware not to be caught up with being covetous and lose our souls.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 - But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

2. Pleasure and recreation.

To some families, their goal is to seek pleasure. They love to enjoy eating good food at expensive places, attend concerts and plays, and they love to travel to faraway places. This has become the priority in the family and there is no place for spiritual goals.

2 Timothy 3:2-5 - For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

3. Popularity and social standing.

Other families seek to have high social status. They love to be seen with people who have high social status, and love the praises and honour of men.

John 12:42-43 - Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

4. Beauty and appearance.

Some families believe in beauty and appearances. They love to dress well and have good physical appearances. The women love to maintain fair facial complexion and slim body shape, and the men love to develop their muscular bodies. They spend much resources to maintain their physical appearances.

1 Peter 3:3-4 - Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

Instead, the most important goal that our homes should seek to accomplish is to serve God and to help one another receive eternal life. We should be like Abraham who commanded his house to keep God’s ways (Genesis 18:19), and Joshua who with his family sought to serve God (Joshua 24:15). As parents, our goal should be to bring up godly children (Malachi 2:15). Too often, families become so involved in pursuing other less important goals that they neglect these key goals.