The family is the basic institution of any society. The family is an organization with an infrastructure, planning methods, motivational systems, communications, and so on (Hacker & Roberts, 2004). What happens in an individual affects relationships — then the family. What happens in the family reflects in the society.
A transformation of the family enterprise might be a shift from some people who live in the same house and occasionally eat together to a unit that provides emotional support and a learning environment for all members (Hacker & Roberts, 2004, p.9).
We as human beings have emotions lingering inside of us. It is something that is non-negotiable. Even the quietest person feels something inside of them. In fact, most of the time, they are the ones who have the most inside of them because they do not have much of an outlet for their raging emotions.
A family is a place where one can find support emotionally. It is where one can find love and acceptance. As written in the Hughes foundation factsheet, people respond in different ways to being diagnosed with Hughes/antiphospolipid syndrome – you may feel like hiding the news from everyone, but helping your family and friends learn more about your condition can mean that you receive more support and understanding (HSF, 2013). Having a disease, a condition, a painful experience or whatsoever is difficult – but it is even more difficult when you do not have anyone to communicate it with. Everybody needs support. Nobody can handle things alone.
A family that understands and loves you unconditionally provides the best support that any person could have. If there is a place where to find high doses of love and affection – it is in the family. Our transformation as an individual is somehow affected by our transformation as a family. They are dependent on each other.
Your personal values are the deepest beliefs that direct your behavior. Values are essential and enduring tenets by which one conducts life. Values serve as mental maps of the way you think things should be (Hacker & Roberts, 2004, p.98). And, our personal values are greatly affected – not only by our environment or experiences – but also by our family.
Whether we like it or not, the values that we have were somehow molded by our family. Values are handed down from family and friends. People adopt these values unconsciously at a young age, and they often shape their lives unknowingly (Hacker & Roberts, 2004).
If you are a leader in your home, you are a center of influence in your family. The values that you teach your children matter. As it is written in the bible, train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:7). Home leaders play an important job in shaping a person’s individual self. So, as leaders at our own homes, we are responsible for maintaining a good foundation of good values to everyone in our household because this is also our service to the Lord. The Bible says, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Sign up for the Book of the Month Club and get exclusive access to Archbishop Jordan’s best selling book: The Group: Space for Transformation!
How are you prioritizing your family?
