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Broken Homes

There is a lot of brokenness in the world. Many have suffered in a broken economy with limited growth and opportunity.  I hear from educators that our education system is in crisis and wrecked with excessive testing that does not necessarily equate to a better education.  Some express that our judicial system is out of whack as we have the most incarcerated population per capita in the world.

I don’t go “political” very often but I think this election cycle has shown in a very real and tangible way that the election process is damaged.  It all seems a little more like a reality TV show than a call to a better future.  No one seems to have ideas but rather are just looking for the best zingers to hurl at their opponent.    We could list other things in our society as well: immigration, foreign policy, crime, racism, media and more.  Sadly, there is too much brokenness to go around.

One place that has felt the fractures and decay of brokenness is HOME.  Historically home was the foundational unit of society.  The family was the nucleus of the community and life revolved around home and its various activities.  Someone worked, the kids went to school and you came home to eat, sleep and be together.  We’ve lost a lot of that.

Divorce, poverty, loose morality, me-first attitudes, all have caused the decline in the entity known as home.   I was in youth ministry for many years and I was amazed that 70% of the families represented had some sort of known, public brokenness they were dealing with on one level or another. I imagine the stats are even worse today.

Boy, aren’t you glad you opened this journal entry today!  There is good news: what is broken can be fixed.   It may take a lot of effort and time but families can mend and go from broken to whole.   It takes love to move it forward.  Love expressed in forgiveness, both asking for it and granting it.  Love expressed in compassion, mercy and kindness.  Love expressed in boundaries, a tough love being able to tell another person that what they are doing is wrong.

It also takes the will to want the change, to begin to make better choices.  The decisions we make can either perpetuate the brokenness or end it.   You can stop drinking.  You can cease the violence.  You can get out of debt.  You can choose.  You cannot do it on your own, you will need help — maybe lots of it.  There are resources to tap.  You can learn and grow and become a family again.  You can have a home.

We’ve hinted at it along this journey but if there is true healing and wholeness to be had, it will take an element of faith.  As we discussed yesterday we have a need as individuals, as a community, as a nation to cultivate faith.  If you need help with this you can call on people you know who have faith.  Don’t know any of them?  You can call me – The Rev. Jon Davis PhD / 407-365-5571.