Devotional: It Takes a Village to Raise a Family
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 27:17
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
"It takes a village to raise a child" is a proverb that means that an entire community of people must provide for and interact positively with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment.
In our fast-paced, often isolating world, the saying "it takes a village to raise a family" resonates deeply. Just as a village provides support, wisdom, and resources for families, we require the same from our communities—whether in our workplaces, friendships, or family dynamics.
Reflecting on Community:
Think of the diversity in your life: co-workers who challenge you professionally, friends who uplift you emotionally, and family members who ground you spiritually. Each relationship plays a vital role in shaping who you are. When we lean on one another, we find strength in our differences, much like a village where various skills and perspectives come together for a common purpose.
Daily Challenges:
Consider the daily challenges you face—project deadlines at work, conflicts with friends, or the complexities of family life. These moments can feel overwhelming, but they also present opportunities for growth. In these times, remember that you are not alone. Just as a village shares burdens, we too can reach out for help, advice, and prayer.
Married or Single:
Whether single or married, the principle remains the same: we thrive in community. In marriage, partners become each other's support system, navigating challenges together. As singles, we can build a 'village' of friends and mentors who offer guidance and companionship.
Discussion Questions:
1. The importance of staying together? (family, friends, and church)
2. Why do men isolate themselves? Share your thoughts.
3. Do you think Satan plays a role in keeping believers of Christ separated from unity?
4. Why every believer needs to be involved with other Christians? Share your thoughts. True or False
5. How can we think of the church as a family with God as our Father? Share your thoughts.
Key Bible Verses on "It takes a village to raise a child or family"
- Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." - This verse emphasizes the importance of intentional parenting and the role of community in guiding a child's development.
- Ephesians 6:4: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." - This verse instructs fathers to actively teach their children about God's ways, implying that the community can also play a role in this instruction.
- Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - This verse highlights the concept of mutual support within a community, where everyone can help one another in raising children.
- Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "These words that I am commanding you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - This passage emphasizes the importance of consistent teaching and modeling of values, which can be reinforced by a supportive community.
Why does every believer need to be involved with other Christians?
There are several reasons why every born-again believer needs to be involved with other Christians. First of all, the New Testament is filled with admonitions to “love one another”—the “one another” refers to fellow Christians (John 13:34–35; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 4:11). Love is not just a noun; it is an action verb (see 1 Corinthians 13:1–8). We are to actively pursue ways in which we can demonstrate unselfish love for each other. “Solo Christians” who avoid association with other believers cannot do that.
Second, most of the books of the New Testament are letters written to churches, not to solo Christians. Although God loves us as individuals, we are collectively referred to in Scripture as “the church” (Ephesians 5:25, 32). The Epistles, addressed to groups of Christians, include detailed instructions about how members are to conduct themselves within the group. The letters were to be read corporately and are best understood in the context of a church working together. As a unit, Christians are the “bride of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7). Most of the New Testament is instruction on how the “bride” can ready herself for her groom, Christ.
We are also called the “body of Christ.” This body has many parts, just as a physical body does (1 Corinthians 12:27). One body part cannot exist on its own. The heart cannot go solo; the chin cannot survive on its own. Any one part needs the participation of all the other parts in order to function successfully. The same is true for the members of the body of Christ. Jesus equips each one with certain gifts that He wants us to use to benefit the whole (see 1 Corinthians 12:12–30). Romans 12:4–5 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” There is no room in this passage for solo Christians.
A third reason solo Christianity is not a good idea is that we need the encouragement and accountability provided by our brothers and sisters in Christ (Hebrews 10:24–25). Often, those who shun involvement in a local church live with major blind spots and spiritual strongholds that they are only mildly aware of. Because they do not make themselves accountable to other believers, solo Christians have no one to strengthen their weaknesses. Flaws such as pride, greed, envy, anger, and a judgmental spirit often grow unchecked in the heart of one who rejects spiritual oversight from those who could gently guide him back to obedience (Galatians 6:1).
The solo Christian is a loner also misses out on preaching, corporate worship times, and opportunities to serve. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We grow sharper as useful tools for God when we learn from each other, pray for each other, and invest ourselves in the lives of others. Local churches offer many opportunities in which to use our gifts to serve others and glorify God. Avoiding such connections weakens the solo Christian as well as the local body.
Finally, we have a powerful enemy who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The lion metaphor works in Scripture because God’s people are often referred to as sheep (Psalm 95:7; 100:3; 1 Peter 2:25; Mark 6:34). As any good shepherd knows, the sheep are safest when they stay with the flock, under the watch-care of a kind shepherd. First Peter 5:2 exhorts pastors with this: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them.” A pastor is called the shepherd of the flock. It is his responsibility before God to nurture, protect, and encourage the sheep God has entrusted to him. A lone sheep, separated from the flock, is vulnerable to the enemy. Wolves and lions don’t usually attack a healthy flock. They wait for one who lags behind, isolated from the shepherd and the safety of the fold.
Christians need to involve themselves with other believers in order to remain healthy and productive. Satan cannot steal a soul that belongs to God (John 10:29), but he can render our lives useless for the kingdom by convincing us that we don’t need fellowship, spiritual encouragement, or challenge from anyone else. He likes to stir up trouble, bitterness, disappointment, pride, and a critical spirit to keep lone sheep away from the flock (Ephesians 4:30–31; 1 Peter 2:1; Colossians 3:5–10). Then he attacks them with discouragement, temptation, and deception to eliminate any heavenly treasure that loner could have stored up for himself (Matthew 6:20; 10:41; Luke 12:33; Revelation 22:12). We will spend all eternity worshiping with other redeemed saints of God. We might as well learn to enjoy it now!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the community You have placed in my life. Help me to value and nurture these relationships, recognizing that together we can overcome challenges and grow in faith. May I be a source of support to others, just as they are to me. Amen.
Conclusion:
Embrace the idea that our families—biological or chosen—are part of a larger tapestry of relationships. As we face life’s challenges, let’s remember that we are stronger together, just as a village collectively nurtures and raises its families.
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