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I had a great conversation with a good friend last night about the importance of the family. We were discussing society as a whole and how things have slipped in our country. What began with a discussion of Christmas and how modern society has redefined the meaning of it, ended with us talking about the morality of our nation in general. And we came to one conclusion: 

It’s all about the family.

The enemy of our souls knows what he’s doing when he launches attacks on the family in America. He understands (probably better than most of us do) that the family is the bedrock of any civilization. If you break down the family structure and the quality of it, you can break down a nation or people group. If you can redefine the family structure, you can redefine the long held characteristics of a nation or people group.

So it should come as no surprise when there are widespread legal challenges to nativity scenes on government/public land. It should come as no surprise when municipalities begin using phrases like “Seasons Greetings” instead of “Merry Christmas.” It truly should come as no surprise when interviews are done with kids on the street and few of them can actually tell you what the true meaning of Christmas is. Down through the generations we’ve been paving the way for this.

Every time a Christian family focuses more on the stress of piling up gifts and going further into debt to do it, all for the sake of Christmas, we’ve laid down a paving stone to our current situation. 

Every time we’ve talked more about Santa and his elves than the Christ-child and His ultimate purpose here, we’ve laid another paving stone in the road leading to today’s misunderstanding of Christmas. 

Every time we’ve been grumpy and grouchy and not shared the message of the love of Christ for fallen humanity, especially at Christmas time, we’ve simply been preparing the way for our current situation.

Friends, I believe with all my heart that the current condition of our nation and its ever-growing debate on Christmas began in the homes of Christian families a long time ago. I believe God holds His people responsible for the condition of a nation He entrusted in them to maintain.
Had we, as believers, been doing what He told us to do all along, our nation, I believe, would look totally different today . . . as would our world.

Just in case you’re getting fired up and ready to debate me on this, just ask yourself this one, simple question: “When’s the last time you led someone to Christ?” We can militantly defend our faith to an ever growing secular world, but it’s a rare thing for a believer today to actually walk someone down the road to Christ called the gospel. There’s the problem.

So I have an idea: Let’s save Christmas. It won’t be done in the courts, and it won’t be done in the Congress. It won’t be done in the White House, and it certainly won’t be done in the world of politics. If we want to turn our country, world, and even holiday around – it will begin in our homes and in our own lives. Make it a point today to share Jesus with somebody – that’s what actually changes things!

That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake

Copyright © 2021 by Blake Martin @https://pastorblakeman.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/foundational-family/ No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.