Old Priorities in New Homes
by Jon Huff
Like so many other Americans, we spent much of 2020 and 2021 remodeling our 1980's home.
The home was functional, other than a Florida basement featuring a slab encased bomb shelter, but desperate for updates. We prioritized things that had to be done. Flooding in the basement, a leaky roof, and a toilet slowly dripping sewage onto the sheetrock above our eldest's bed all seemed urgent.
Those things complete, we began to tackle modernizing the home. I'm convinced that HGTV and DIY are evil enterprises intent on sucking every drop out of millennial homeowners. Mid kitchen demolition Hurricane Sally dropped seven trees in our yard. One narrowly missing the unfinished kitchen. Once cleanup was complete, we loaded up a massive tree and milled it into beautiful shelves. The upper cabinets were removed and replaced with Hurricane Clean-up debris.
White cabinets, quartz counters, and shiplap erased decades. Finally, the space transformed from 1980 to 2021. No sooner had we completed or partially completed the reno when an article declared shiplap is out! The modern farmhouse will be left in 2021. The paint wasn't even dry before culture had moved on. We love our home updated, outdated... Who knows. What matters is not the style but what the home prioritizes.
The book of Haggai finds Israel in a similar remodeling process. Israel and its temple have lain in ruin and oppression for seventy years. Exiled as enslaved people, they waited for rescue. Finally, the Persians came to power and allowed the exiles to return to the ruins of their homeland. God's been faithful; surely his covenant children will reciprocate! But these rebellious people were still not ready to prioritize the mission of God.
Haggai 2:1 says,
“The Lord of Armies says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.” The mission of the Lord was to rebuild the temple, but the people were more concerned about the appearance of their homes. In verse 4, the Lord asks through Haggai, "Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins.”
Homes in ancient Israel would have been built from rock and hardened clay. Their weather-resistant and secure homes didn't need paneling, but man, it sure looks good on HGTV. Frank Gaebelein surmises, "They might succeed in covering the walls of their homes with precious cedar paneling, but while doing so they could neither cover their consciences nor hide from God their neglected duty."
Why after so many stories of victory, promises fulfilled, and empowered hope would they settle for the convenience of what culture deemed relevant? We can ask ourselves the same question. The results of their misplaced priorities were tremendous futility in their hustle. Verse 6 tells us they:
Worked hard, but harvested little.
Ate, but were never satisfied
Bought clothes, but it was never enough
Earned wealth, but it vanished as if it were placed in a bag full of holes.
If we're honest, most American Christians find themselves in a similar condition. Especially as it relates to money going as quickly or quicker than it comes in. We've busied ourselves with so many things that are futile for eternity. Instead of prioritizing the mission, we allow culture to tell the child of God what his priorities ought to be.
Culture tells you to prioritize finding a flexible career that will enable you to pursue the American Dream. Buy and/or remodel your dream home. Take elaborate Instagram-worthy vacations. Cater to your children's societal demands. We self-medicate the results of misplaced priorities by overstretching ourselves with activity.
Our children become accustomed to travel sports, extracurriculars, and tutoring to pursue the next step toward happiness and successful adulthood. In and of themselves, these things are not wrong, but they can quickly become the rhythm of the home.
Do our values determine our actions or do our actions reveal our values? The reality is our "values” and our actions are often misaligned. What if the priority of our homes was not acceptance into the SEC school of our choice, but the mission of God? Whether panels or weekly schedules we are all building something. Who we are becoming and who our children will be are being built every day.
Harvard Researcher Robert Epstein recently developed a study collecting hundreds of research projects to boil them down to the top ten parenting strategies to secure desired outcomes with our children. The top three may surprise you:
Love and Affection in the Home
Parental ability to manage their own stress
Treatment of your spouse
Secular study or not, there is Biblical truth here. Ephesians 5, echoing Genesis, provides the Biblical structure for the home. Husbands love your wives! Could it be that prioritizing your child's future looks more like doing the dishes and a gentle answer during a tense situation? Our children learn much by observing what their parents are becoming.
Think about the values of who you want your children to become? Academic success is a great start, but let's think farther down the road. Finding a meaningful career, forging a sticky faith, and enjoying a spouse for life are what we should genuinely aim at.
What if we reprioritized our homes with the mission of God?
How do I reprioritize my home with the heart of God?
Seek Gods’ glory above all else
Prioritize the needs of your spouse
Deal with personal sin. Find a small group to help provide accountability!
Consider writing a family mission statement
What is the purpose of your family?
What things do you want to do as a family?
What feelings or attitudes do you want within your family?
How do you want your family members to treat you?
What are your family's top priorities?
What are the current responsibilities of various family members?
How will your family contribute to the gospel inside and outside the home?
Building a godly home is hard, but the same God who redeemed the rebellious children of Israel can redeem our mess as we prioritize His Mission.
Upon Haggai’s warning the people heard and obeyed the voice of the Lord. Haggai 1:13 -14 says, “…I am with you- this is the LORD's declaration…They began work on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God.”
Let’s build together!
