Marriage and Family.

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Unity at home takes effort. “Make every effort” means you work to keep the peace instead of waiting for it to happen.

Live it: Do one thing for someone at home today without being asked, and don’t say a word about it. Peace at home is built, not wished for.

“Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

The standard for forgiveness isn’t how sorry they are. It’s how much God has forgiven you.

Live it: Be the first one to move. Send the text, make the call, say “I’m sorry” first. Forgiveness isn’t weakness. It’s what God did for you.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Your tone can end an argument or start a war. Gentleness isn’t weakness. It’s strength under control.

Live it: The next time someone at home comes at you sharp, lower your voice and slow down. Win the moment, not the argument.

“But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!””

Joshua made this choice in public while others chose differently. A family’s direction often starts with one person deciding.

Live it: Tonight, pray over your home out loud, even if it’s just you. Name every person. Somebody has to decide, and today it’s you.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.”

In Greek, every description of love here is a verb. Love isn’t a feeling you wait for. It’s what you do.

Live it: Pick one line from this verse and live it on purpose with someone at home today. Make it visible.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her”

The standard for a husband is sacrifice, not control. Christ led by laying His life down.

Live it: Married? Do one thing today that costs you something for your spouse’s good. Not married? Pray by name for the marriages around you.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Training is daily, patient and on purpose. What children see and practice now becomes who they are later.

Live it: Spend ten minutes with a child in your life today. Pray together or read one verse together. You’re shaping a future.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.”

You can work hard on your home and still miss it without God at the center. He is the builder. We build with Him.

Live it: Pray out loud in your home today, at a meal or before bed. Make it clear who’s building this house.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!”

Two are better than one, because when one falls, the other lifts them up. Marriage and family are built to carry each other.

Live it: Ask someone at home today, “What’s weighing on you?” Then help carry it.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Paul tells fathers not to provoke their children but to raise them in the Lord’s training and instruction. Strength at home looks like patience, not pressure.

Live it: Correct with calm today, not anger. Then teach the why behind it.

“Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Love covers a multitude of sins. Deep love chooses not to hold every offense over someone’s head.

Live it: Let one offense go today without bringing it up. Cover it with love.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!”

David sings about how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. Unity at home is a blessing worth fighting for.

Live it: Gather your household for one meal or ten minutes today with every phone put away.

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

From the very beginning, God designed marriage as two people leaving their families and becoming one. Oneness is the goal.

Live it: Make one decision today with your spouse instead of on your own. If you’re not married, pray for your future marriage.

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.”

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and receives favor from the Lord. A spouse is a gift, not a burden.

Live it: Tell your spouse today one specific thing you’re grateful for about them.

“Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Peter tells husbands to live with their wives with understanding and honor, so that nothing hinders their prayers. How you treat your spouse affects your walk with God.

Live it: Ask your spouse one question today and really listen to the answer.

“Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Paul sums it up: husbands, love your wives as yourselves, and wives, respect your husbands. Love and respect build a home.

Live it: Show love or respect today in one way your spouse will notice.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.”

Paul warns fathers not to embitter their children, or they will lose heart. Harshness breaks spirits.

Live it: Encourage a child today before you correct them.

“These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

God told parents to keep His words on their hearts and talk about them at home, on the road, at bedtime and in the morning. Faith is taught in everyday life.

Live it: Bring God into one ordinary moment with your family today: the drive, dinner or bedtime.

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.”

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Family is a legacy across generations.

Live it: Call a parent or grandparent today and honor them.

“Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.”

Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward. They’re trusted to you, not owned by you.

Live it: Pray over each child in your life by name today.

““Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,”

Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Unresolved anger gives the enemy a foothold.

Live it: If there’s tension at home, deal with it before you go to sleep tonight.

“My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,”

Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Most fights at home are lost in the first ten seconds.

Live it: In your next hard conversation at home, listen fully before you answer.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.”

Be devoted to one another in love and outdo one another in showing honor. Love competes to serve.

Live it: Find a way to honor someone at home today before they honor you.

“Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

Honor your father and your mother. This is the first commandment that comes with a promise.

Live it: Do one thing today that honors your parents, living or gone.

“By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.”

By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is established, and by knowledge its rooms are filled with treasure.

Live it: Ask God for wisdom about one decision your household is facing.

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.””

Jesus says that what God has joined together, no one should separate. Marriage is God’s work, worth protecting.

Live it: Guard your marriage today: say no to one thing that pulls you apart.

“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ. Families are meant to share the load.

Live it: Take something off someone’s plate at home today.

“Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.”

Many waters cannot quench love, and rivers cannot sweep it away. Real love is strong enough to survive the flood.

Live it: Do one thing today that strengthens your love, especially if it’s been a hard season.

“But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Ruth told Naomi: where you go I will go, and your God will be my God. Loyalty like that builds families.

Live it: Show loyalty to someone in your family today, especially if they’re going through a hard time.

“If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Paul says anyone who doesn’t provide for their own household has denied the faith. Providing for family is part of following Christ.

Live it: Take one step today toward providing better for your household.