What is that makes a home a home to you? What takes priority in it and what makes it comfortable to you? We all have our own ways of cultivating a living environment that meets our desires and our perspective. Whether we may have very little of life, rooms, items or dirty surfaces, or maybe very much of them all, what we’re willing to surround ourselves on such an intimate level reveals more than we give it daily thought.
For those who don’t like to reflect too deeply, we can stop right here. But might I intrigue those that do care to dive in the seas of self-examination to ponder the idea of what the lime green accent wall is really all about or why the rule of no dirty dishes in the sink overnight is a set in stone command? Now this isn’t one of those personality analyst type of reads, but just one to encourage a reflection on why we do the things we do!
Everyone has their own particular set of events that’s lead them to developing their own understanding of their vocabulary. Your perspective of the colour green and mine are completely different. Though we may meet in understanding to what we would similarly put into category of being the colour green, what we internally envision and feel in understanding the colour green is based on our own individual experiences with the colour. Now let’s expand this thought out to the lime green accent wall and our non-breaking rule of keeping dishes out of the sink overnight (or whatever choice of decor, habit, cleaning or lazy ritual you may have.) What has motivated you to do it?
Though these motivations (or lack thereof) may vary drastically amongst many, for someone who declares to be a Christian the motivation is derived from one source. “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”, Paul says in Philippians 2:2. What motivates the life in the Christian home will ultimately be to glorify God by what’s been revealed through His words in Christ Jesus. This means despite what unique individual connections there may be in forming the perspective of the various things in this world, the truth within us will remain the same and will be consistently evident in every area of life and home.
For myself, a true home is where Christ is. We won’t achieve that permanently and perfectly until we’re united with Him in heaven but while still seeking here on this earth, a home filled with forgiveness, praise, prayer, and worship is getting closer. A home with order, humility, and hospitality is getting closer. A home with thankfulness, sacrifice, and joy is getting closer. A home with truth in our hearts, on our lips, in our minds, and on our walls is getting us closer.
To me, home is always getting a little closer to heaven!
What is your home closest to?
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
- Deut. 6:5-9
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