Our world is in a state of “post-familialism”. At one time, preachers and other concerned Christians warned about the dangers of secularism. Post-familialism is nearly as fatal as secularism but perhaps even more immediate.
Warnings are urged in a new paper – “The Rise of Post-Familialism: Humanity’s Future?” by Joel Kotkin et al. with the Civil Service College of Singapore (© 2012). For all of human history – up until the present – the family has been the “central unity” of every society on every continent within every religion.
However, within the last three decades, we have seen a decided shift away from the family as the organizing unit of society. It is happening within Europe and North America but also in emerging economies. In the U. S., since 1976, the number of women under 40 who have not had any children has risen to 20% of the female population.
The reasons for this shift are several. Emerging economies are encouraging both men and women to pursue careers rather than to be tied down to families and children. The global move away from religion to secular values has contributed.
A third factor is the urbanization of the world. People are leaving agricultural areas and moving to large, industrialized areas and that environment suppresses the desire to begin a family. The global recession is also discouraging people from bringing more money-dependents into the world who would stress already tight budgets.
But God has an exalted view of both marriage and family. We see that among other places in Psalm 127.
JEHOVAH GOD MUST BE THE FOUNDATION OF ANY SOCIETY – Verse 1
If He is not, the builders of that society build in vain. Solomon begins by talking of the house – using the city for an illustration – and points out the vanity of a city which doesn’t use Jehovah as the guard. Consider the fall of Jericho in Joshua 6 or the scattering of Babel in Genesis 11.
JEHOVAH GOD MUST BE THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOME – Verse 2
It is vain to “arise early” and to work “late”, eating one’s bread without thinking that God provides. God gives us sleep. The wise man said in Proverbs 10:22 – “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”
They both were very much comfortable viagra online india pamelaannschoolofdance.com with each other and their love life was blossoming day by day. This is should always be taken as performance anxiety which leads to premature ejaculation in free cialis men. Perhaps this is precisely why oral treatments of the disease have garnered so much order prescription viagra http://pamelaannschoolofdance.com/summer-ad-2016-2/ fame. When I visited my doctor, he told me this was not there in my mind at all. discount levitra
JEHOVAH GOD PROVIDES THE FUTURE THROUGH OUR CHILDREN – Verses 3-5:
Children are an inheritance from God – verse 3a. Children are a reward from God – verse 3b.
Children are powerful tools in the hand of a believer – verse 4.
Children are a blessing in abundance – verse 5a. They will be there to provide love, care, and companionship in our old age and they will be there to carry on our work when we are gone.
Peace with our enemies can be had through them – verse 5b.
Children are a father’s treasure. Let us rear them faithfully, sending them back to God, and in the meantime, they will bring us honor and blessings through the lives they live.
What can be done?
1. We need to reorient ourselves – as grandparents, parents, and children – to God’s pattern, God’s design, and God’s intentions for the home.
2. We need to vote for politicians who have a family-friendly policy approach.
3. We need to rearrange our own lives and work schedules so that they reflect the fact that our own children are a reward from the Lord.
4. We need to also teach our children, as we ourselves need to do, to live on less than what we make. Be content with what you have.
–Paul Holland
