May 26, 2025

ORDER FOR THE HOME

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.”

Colossians 3:18–21 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Paul shifts from personal Christian behavior to how our faith should shape the family unit in this passage. His message is clear: being a true follower of Jesus must affect how we live at home. Our faith should not only be visible at church—it should transform our marriages, our parenting, and the way we treat those closest to us.

1. Wives and Husbands: Order and Love in Marriage

Paul begins by addressing wives, calling them to submit to their husbands “as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.” In the culture of Paul’s time, this was a radical shift. Christianity elevated the dignity and value of women, offering them spiritual equality in a society that often treated them as property. The call to submission was not a command to be inferior or oppressed, but a call to embrace God’s design for order in the family.

The Greek word for submit is a military term that means “to arrange under rank.” It has nothing to do with value, intelligence, or ability—it simply points to a God-given structure. The husband is called to lead—not with pride or domination, but with humility and sacrificial love.

Paul expands this idea in Ephesians 5:21, where he says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Mutual submission and respect are the foundation of a Christ-centered marriage.

Husbands are told to love their wives deeply and to never treat them harshly. In Ephesians 5, Paul goes further: “Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” That’s a love that sacrifices self for the good of the other. When a husband loves his wife like that, she is far more likely to feel secure in following his leadership.

Marriage is hard work. It’s not a one-sided effort. It takes two people committed to submitting themselves to Christ first, and then to each other in love, humility, and grace.

2. Children and Parents: Obedience and Encouragement

Paul then turns to the relationship between children and parents. Children are instructed to obey their parents—not only when they agree, but always. Why? Because learning to honor and obey authority starts in the home. When children are taught respect and obedience early, they carry those values into every area of life—school, work, community, and beyond.

But parents aren’t off the hook. Paul gives a sobering command: “Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” This doesn’t mean never correcting them, but it means correcting them in love—not in anger or harshness.

Discipline must be rooted in love, not frustration. A home should be a place of security, not fear. Children should know that even when they fail or need correction, their home is still a place of love, grace, and encouragement.

Parents who cannot discipline themselves cannot effectively discipline their children. Our children often mirror our character more than our words.

The Heart of the Message: Christ in the Home

The bottom line? If our faith doesn’t show up in our marriages and our parenting, then we’ve missed the mark. Following Jesus should affect the most important relationships in our lives. Our homes should be the clearest evidence that we belong to Christ.

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, help me to be the spouse You’ve called me to be. Help me to love, lead, respect, and serve in my marriage. Help me to parent with wisdom, patience, and grace. Let my home reflect Your presence and Your purpose. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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