How To Have A Happy Home
1-A – Good Attitudes Build Happy Homes
Ras Robinson
What is an attitude? Attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. Attitude could be described with these words: view, viewpoint, outlook, perspective.
Some guidelines and things to remember concerning attitudes God has shown me I should have as husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather:
- My attitude is that my home is blessed by God.
- Each day is a new day and we forget what lies behind. We concentrate on the present while stretching toward the future.
- Problems are opportunities for breakthroughs. Big problems are opportunities for big breakthroughs.
- I am a servant to my wife and children.
- God is in total command of my family and not me.
- I am no longer a dirt farmer’s son; rather I am a joint heir with Jesus.
- My job is to create, with my words and actions, a positive atmosphere in our family.
- Daily I create the atmosphere in my home by my attitudes.
Let’s look at some verses of Scripture regarding our attitudes:
Does the Bible speak specifically regarding attitude? “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)
A good additive of thanksgiving enhances attitude. “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2 NIV)
Adopt humility with your attitude as did Christ. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV)
Right attitudes lead children to righteousness. “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17 NASB)
Right attitudes gain approval with both man and God. “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.” (Romans 14:17-18 NLT)
Right attitudes require humility and death to selfishness. “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 NLT)
I pray every day that my home will be filled with the peace and presence of Jesus, first for my family and then for the world to see what miracles God has done in our home. He is certainly not finished with us yet. There is a large wooden piece of art to the left of our front door that makes our declaration loud and clear. It states for all to see, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15”
In addition to the wooden piece of art, we also follow the Jewish tradition of placing a small wooden container called a “mezuzah” on our doorpost. A mezuzah is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21).These verses comprise the Jewish prayer “Shema Yisrael,” beginning with the phrase: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” The parchment is prepared by a qualified scribe, written in black indelible ink and with a special quill pen. The parchment is then rolled up and placed inside the case and fastened to the door frame as a reminder to all who come and go that “the Lord is our God.”
Next Tuesday, April 8, my wife will release her insights about the importance of having good attitudes in the home. She is very transparent, fair and full of mercy. I pray you will totally buy into these tenets and insights we bring from our 57 years of marriage. I sure hope she does not totally undress my weaknesses before you. I can assure you that she will call attitudes by the right name and help all of us consider our way toward the goal of “How to Build a Happy Home.” I totally trust her to lead you with God anointed insights and delightful and sometimes maybe painful grist for your mill to bring all of us to a happier home life.
Ras and Bev Robinson Blog 