|
From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Columns This article was birth out of a conversation with a colleague. He made a statement that said “I chose my family over my career.” He then later expounded on his statement, “I was given the opportunity to make more money and to have a position on my job but I realized that the hours of work would interfere with spending quality time with my family.” After hearing that profound statement I recognized that I was standing next to a person who I consider to be a true champion in this area of his life. There are many persons out there who have survived cancer, abuse, a tragic accident and were placed in a position to fight and they came through with flying colors by the grace of God. You too are champions. Nevertheless, I’m writing in the context of surviving marriage relationship. In my honest opinion I believe that one of the greatest accomplishments that any human being on planet earth can attain is to survive a marriage relationship for any considerable quantity of time and enjoy it. My parents, Roland and Agnes Carey just recently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and I salute them for reaching such a mile stone in their lives. They too are true champion. One definition of a champion is a person or thing that has defeated or surpassed all rivals. One may ask the question what does a championship ring has to do with marriage? If you consider asking anyone who has been married for any considerable amount of time, what does it take to have a happy marriage? I believe that their response would be the same response that you would get from the legends of the game of sports. • It takes hard work • It takes commitment • It takes dedication • It takes time, energy and effort • It takes determination. • It takes praying together and much more to be a champion. We have allowed society to dictate to us in various ways defining what is success? We pursue careers, promotions, and prestige etc, and eventually losing the most important things, our families. What does it profit a man to gain a city and lose his family? This is something that we need to reflect on.
For some persons this is a hard pill to sallow;
your family comes first before anything. Just recently I was watching a religious program on T.B.N (Trinity Broadcasting Network) where a pastor mentioned that he had failed in his marriage because he placed his ministry before his family. It was not that he was unfaithful to his wife; he lost his marriage because his family was not his first priority.
The word of God says according to (1Cor 9:27) “Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness that cannot wither”. (Amplify version) You might not have a championship ring like Michael Jordan but if you have overcame rivals in your marriage then you have a championship ring that you can really be proud of which is your wedding band. Verse 24 of this same chapter states “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize?” So run your race and make it yours. It’s your marriage and it’s your family. A true champion is also a person who will not accept defeat, who understands that there is a goal to accomplish and losing is not an As a parent, if your parents didn’t pass on a legacy of faith to you, this simply meansyou have the privilege of being first in line, the beginning point, for generations to come. What an awesome privilege! Those of us that have this genuine faith, Are you passing along the faith God has given you to your children or family members?God is responsible for your family’s guidance and protection. Gen 18:19 “His thoughts toward Abraham God said, for I have known (chosen, acknowledge) him as my own, so that he may teach and command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him”. In verse 17 the lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham my friend and servant what I am going to do”? God is depending on families to make the world a better place. Having the understanding as parents that we have the responsibility to pass on a living legacy of faith to our children will not only impact your generation but the world. It is said, “that only what we do for Christ is going to last” leaving a legacy that impacts society in a negative way can be very discouraging. Peers are said to have great impacts on each other’s lives. However, I believe that parents have the greatest impact on their children lives either positive or negative.
The bottom line is this: whatever you do, leave a legacy of faith and faithfulness that can be an everlasting aroma to your generation and the world.
|
