After Newtown, family gatherings at Christmas and opening presents have poignancy. How precious and fleeting are these times together! Let’s open another present from God because I happen to know on good authority that this gift will be especially appreciated now.
Untie, untie, rip off the wrapping, rip off the wrapping, open, look in. Another fragment of stone: “Honor thy father and thy mother that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
This is God’s present of family, of parents and children living together in honor, respect and love for each other. When I was a kid, I remember being thrilled by some presents, the Lionel train, the Schwinn bike, an Erector set. I was always disappointed when I opened a present and got clothes, bummer. Now that I look back, one of the greatest presents I got was a good family. We appreciate so much in hindsight.
This present goes beyond your home. In addition to family, this is God’s gift of order and authority. Families, immediate and extended, give order to society. We live on streets, in recognizable homes. “There’s the Young house, the Piacenti house, the Joyce house.” We have our place; there is an order. With that order, God gives authority. On God’s behalf parents have authority over children. It spreads throughout society. City officials, police, fire…they have authority under this commandment. Their positions are to serve and protect us on God’s behalf and our response should be willing obedience (so long as they do not force us to violate God’s ways, Acts 5:29). In this light we see another dimension of the Newtown tragedy: disobedience to authority, shattering the order of life, and ripping the heart out of God’s gift of family. He willfully broke God’s present.
Comments