It’s easy to think about our jobs outside of the home. And certainly fulfilling these duties is part of how we love and serve our families. But however meaningful this work might be, we must not neglect our obligation to pastor our own families as we do.
To pastor simply means to shepherd – to tend and care for one’s flock. And within the church, this includes providing spiritual direction and nurturing, teaching and correction, as well as protection and blessing.
But while we often defer this role to official church positions, each man is called to shepherd his own family. It is our job to lead our family in the path of truth and love, to model godly behavior, and to protect them from harmful or otherwise evil influences. Likewise, it’s our job to teach and cultivate a Christ-centered culture within our homes.
Of course, we will have our village to support us in these areas. But the support and supplement of others is not an excuse for us to abdicate our own role as the lead pastor of our family.
And sometimes this means we must say no to other important work to provide for our family what only we can. It’s also a challenge for us to reconsider how we view family time. Family time should not be considered merely leisurely time off from our paid employment. While it should be a time of refreshment, it’s also a time of pastoring. These precious moments are our time to minister to our family. And we’re functioning more like the hired help rather than the Good Shepherd when we do this only when it’s convenient.
In the end, you are the lead pastor of your home. In all your other work, don’t neglect your duty to shepherd your own family.
Photo by Tim Cooper on Unsplash
