Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Family Driven Faith-Chapter 3


Mr. Baucham said this about our homes in chapter 3.
     "Those who visit us should notice immediately that they have left the world of self-serving, egocentric
     narcissism and have entered a safe harbor where people value and esteem others above themselves.
     Outsiders should enter our homes and never want to leave.  Our neighbors should find excuses to visit us
     just  to get another whiff of the fragrant aroma of love.  The brokenhearted should long to be near us. The
     downtrodden and the abused should seek us out.  Families on the brink of disaster should point to us and
     say, 'Why can't our home be like that?' "

The fact is, that most people don't see any more love pouring out from the Christians around them than they do the non-Christian.  They don't see the selflessness, our homes aren't "safe harbors".  There is nothing different about the way we love....But we can "learn to love".  And that is the whole focus of this chapter.

In this chapter Mr. Baucham addresses the Greco-Roman Love Myths
1.  Love is a random force
2. Love is an overwhelming force
3. Love is an uncontrollable force
4. Love is a sensual force

With the end result being: Love doesn't translate

We need to embrace the Biblical portrait of love
1. Love is an act of the will
2. Love is accompanied by emotion
3. Love leads to action on behalf of its object
and the advantages to Biblical Love:
1. The Biblical model of love is Volitional
2. It is transferable
3. It is secure
4. It satisfies

It is so important to remember that our children learn to love by our example.  Moreover, other people see our love-they observe us love our spouse or our children, or others...and, hopefully they are impacted.  I have a lot of work to do in this area, but I know one thing for sure:  If my children don't go to college, if they don't make tons of money, or are super successful at anything--If they have learned to love, really love--then I have been a successful parent.  It is my prayer that the statement at the top can one day be what someone observes when they come into my home or meet my family.  Let's try to let go of the "love myth" and embrace the model of Biblical love.  What did you think about this chapter?

Here are the previous links in this series:
Divided
An Invitation
Chapter 1: Lay of the Land
Chapter 2: A God with No Rivals

Linking up today at:
Women Living Well
Raising Homemakers
Raising Mighty Arrows
Titus 2sdays
The Imperfect Housewife
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home


Blessings to you,
Amanda

1 comment:

Lisa said...

Hi Amanda,

Browsing through over here and had to stop and say how much our family has enjoyed the ministry of Voddie Baucham -- especially this book.

This quote makes me want to re-read Family Driven Faith:

"Outsiders should enter our homes and never want to leave. Our neighbors should find excuses to visit us just to get another whiff of the fragrant aroma of love."

Voddie will be speaking at our state homeschool conference next April, Lord willing. Can't wait!

Blessings, ~Lisa