10 Clues Your Family’s Faith is Like a Fairy Tale

    by Sally Matheny 

    

    
     Once upon a time, there were parents who wished upon every shooting star for their kids to turn out okay. Shiny pennies were tossed into fountains and wishbones pulled, in hopes that their children would grow up to be joyful and productive citizens of the land. Imagine the parents’ sorrow and dismay when they did not.

     Is this your family’s philosophy? Are you sure? Check out these 10 clues to see if your family’s faith is like a fairy tale:

1.  Your children have no idea where the location of their Bibles. However, you keep your copy under the seat in the car, just in case you need it one Sunday.

2.  A Bible isn’t used at home for individual study or for a family time of devotions.

3.  Someone says a blessing before meals, but only when company is present.

4.  The only time you pray with your kids is at bedtime—when you remember—and actually, that’s your child praying her usual list.

Is Your Family's Faith Like a Fairy Tale?

5.  At Christmas, discussions are mainly about being good for Santa and about presents. At Easter, the focus is more about emptying a plastic egg than the miracle of Christ’s empty tomb.

6.  Quite often, your family chooses to attend to many things on Sunday, except church.

7.  When you do attend church, you focus more on what’s in it for you than how you can serve others.

8.  At home, there is more talk about reality shows than the reality of God, His love, and His will for your lives.

9. When sin occurs in your home it is often justified rather than dealt with it in a just manner.

10.  Family members’ speech and behaviors are vastly different outside the church walls.

      

     

     The true story is families are not living in a fairy tale world. God is real. And so is Satan. We can’t live out our days haphazardly, hoping our sons eventually turn into knightly men and our daughters don’t become damsels in distress.

      We live in a sinful world. How are you strengthening your family for spiritual battle? A fairy godmother is not going to show up and make your troubles disappear with the wave of a wand. It requires standing firmly on faith and living by the Sword of Truth. Gather your family and get back to basic training. Actively participate in a church that teaches and practices God’s Holy Word. Make your testimony real to your children.

     

     You either make-believe or you do believe in Jesus Christ. One belief leads to chaos and the other leads to a joyfully ever after.