The Need to Re-imagine the Family and its Importance

“The most important Christian Education institution is not the pulpit or the school, important as those institutions are; but it is the Christian family. And that institution has to a very large extent ceased to do its works.” J Gresham Machen

Just in a decade we have seen so much of advancement where the modern day regime accompanied by the advancement in varied ways has taken over almost every sphere of our life and it has affected us both positively and negatively. It has been a boom for some and a doom for some. However, one thing that I am surely convicted of and also moved, is the fact of how much the family unit has degraded and failed to function it’s duty and responsibility. The real essence and the sanctity of a family have diminished. Everyday is a busy day for the parents in pursuit of the different possibilities so in order to meet the needs, but however at the present juncture we see it is not the needs that we are busy for but also more to maintain the economic and the social capitalist status. Today we hardly see parents staying back home, we hardly see parents spending time with their children. But do you realise, in the midst of all this busy hurly-burly schedule and life; things are going wrong. The love and care that the children need is not given much, No! if buying your children the things they want, giving them money they need is what you would limit to love and care for them than I suppose somewhere on the line you have forgotten your role, duties and function as a parent. I am not negating that this things as not necessary, but in spite of all this it is love, care, quality time with them which may seem such a small and light task but the fact is we have failed in this area, why don’t you try this with your kids?

At the present moment we see our society, where most of the youths are living a lost life. They are living their lives like a paper in the air not knowing where to land. It is sad to see but our society is so much filled with lots of disgruntled youths and broken families. We see young and unsecured marriages increasing, evils, unjust, low moral and less ethical values, less love and more hate, sense of respect for others has gone far from the universe, hatred between siblings, hatred towards the parents and family etc and more. This is not to blame the parents, for the way the children has turn out to be, but to let us know that, as a parent you could have and can play a huge role in the life of children’s in upbringing and moulding them. The majority of us in our society lives as a Christian centred family but comparatively we see less of Christlikeness in the family. The Christian family or as a matter of fact, the family unit in general is such an important institution which has a great role to play. It is one unit where children should receive maximum love, care and attention and also train them to in a way that they are guided to face the world with optimism and also with right view of the world. However most of the parents have failed to do so. I believe this is one area we need to ask ourselves a question and re-imagine and re-think, re-visualise and re-structure the family unit. The family unit is one which plays a primary role for the development and positive outcome of the individuals who will contribute to the society and the quality of his/her contribution can largely depend on the way the kid has being raised up. It would be such a blow for our society in general if the kid is not raised with proper guidance, it is nothing more than another destruction added to the society.

Society to change and live in a vibrant, peace and coherence to an extend depends on the youth. The youths they say are the tools for the better tomorrow and for the generations to come. In fact youths will always be an important asset for the society to exist vibrantly. Youths have every ability, be it intellectually, spiritually, culturally, economically and many more but you as a youth how much are you in line with the smooth functioning of the family unit. Are you in the category where you are a problem to the society or are you being an asset to the society and executing your role as a good product of a family unit. If you are positively contributing than alas! You are the person our society needs. If you are not contributing positively, No problem! You can still work out coherently with your family unit; your parents.

There are many who are still in a position to fine a way back. Many who are seeking for the attention from parents! How do you handle this? Who should handle this? who should take care of the young men and women? Who is responsible for them? It all comes down to the parents. Yes you PARENTS! Each and every parent is responsible to a great extent. I believe its time to really give a thought to this issue that our society is suffering from. We talk of change and also keep on gossiping and keep talking about the change that needs to take place but why don’t we start with ourselves? why don’t we first re-imagine and have a closer look at the problems within our families! Because I believe everything starts from this small institution which has a great responsibility to exercise. Are you as a parent in this position where you have failed? Are you a child who id misled or are you the one not able to cope up with the family.

Change is coming if you have already started thinking where you stand as a parent and also as a children of a parent. It is not only one sided work but a collective work which needs to be realised by both the parents and the children. However, more responsibility lies with the parents who has a greater role to play. Though this does not subordinate the role of the children’s. I believe, when our society starts to realise the importance of the parental care which plays as a vital agent for the greater positive outcome and change in the society, the reality should convict us and pierce our hearts to really re-imagine and fill the gap that has grown enormous in our families.

Thoziisie Nyuwi