Jesus is What We Want

How many people do you know who are really happy? Maybe not very many. People everywhere are struggling with a gnawing feeling of emptiness deep inside. They can’t seem to get rid of past regrets that haunt them. They are disheartened with their life and disappointed with the people in it, from their parents to their spouses. They don’t like their work and feel resentful most of the time. When they are alone, they don’t like the disappointing thoughts they have about themselves, so they find ways to deal with the disappointment. The things they try only leave them even more disillusioned. As they grow older, they become more and more cynical.

Many unhappy people find themselves crushed between two overwhelming burdens: a regretful past and a bleak future. The past offers few comforting memories and delightful remembrances since it is overcast with a sense of failure. These people have little hope the future will ever be any different than the past. Consequently, they don’t live in the present, and they don’t enjoy life. Their life has little meaning and purpose.

What we really want is Jesus, but we don’t know it. He made us, and when our lives are aligned with his purpose for us, we live in the present. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He is the way, not one of many ways, but the only way. He is the truth, not someone’s perception of truth, but the embodiment of truth. When we find Jesus and commit our lives to him, we have life, not a life free of problems, but a life that is full of meaning, even if we are suffering. When Jesus comes, the emptiness goes away. Our perspective of the past and future will change, and the present comes alive.

Jesus does for us what we cannot do for us, ourselves. He forgives us. Forgiveness is God’s gift to the world. When Jesus says to us as he did to the woman caught in the act of adultery, “…neither do I condemn you…Go now and leave your life of sin," he frees us. He frees us from our past failures and future fears. He sets life within our reach. That is what he said he came to do, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” (John 10:10). We all know the thief and have experienced the loss, the disappointment and the devastation. It’s time to get to know the author of life.

Once a year at our church we have a Missions Convention. It is a time when we remind ourselves about our mission in life. Jesus stated the mission of the church in these words: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

Every committed Christian takes these words to heart, and we believe it is our privilege to share the story of Jesus with people all over the world. We do not believe the message should be forced on anyone, but it should be shared, giving each person an opportunity to decide for themselves whether they would like to know and accept Jesus as their savior.

What Kids Learn From Their Dads

One of the most important things children can learn from their fathers is to love their mother. Just think about it for a moment; which home would you like to grow up in--one where your father criticizes and ridicules your mother, sending her into depression and resentment or one where your father praises and affirms your mother, causing her to flourish? The difference between the two homes is night and day.

Solomon said of the virtuous wife and mother, “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…” (Proverbs 31:28). This woman is described as smart, beautiful, hardworking, kind and strong. She is comfortable being a woman, brings delight to the home, and her husband cherishes her.

Men, I would like to address you for a few moments. The word “husband” is related to the word “husbandry,” which denotes cultivation. A good husband cultivates positive qualities in his wife by praising her. He does this freely and in the company of his children. He doesn’t browbeat his wife or put her down with insults and hurtful remarks. That’s not a strong husband—that is a petty man. This is a beautiful picture of genuine praise. What a difference there is in the home where the man sets the tone by literally affirming his wife with spontaneous praise. This wife and mother blossoms in this environment, and this man and his family are the richer for it.

Dads, our children will learn and imitate the role of husband and father we portray. Never think that your silence or resentment against your wife will not affect your children. It will in so many ways, but here is the good news—so will your praise of your wife and family. Not only will this attitude transform your home, but it will also prepare your sons and daughters for their future roles as spouses and parents.

Perhaps you grew up in a home where your father didn’t praise your mother. In fact, he put her down, and you find yourself doing the same thing. You can change that. You can stop that cycle. You can start a new trend in your family. Maybe your family wasn’t very affectionate and didn’t affirm each other openly. Don’t let that stop you from doing what you need to do today. Stop blaming your past. Look at your wife and your kids as your greatest treasure on this earth and praise them. Make them feel as if your home is a castle and they are royalty.

As a counselor, I meet with families each week, and I have observed a few things. We all have set patterns of thinking and behaving. Many of those patterns are negative and counter-productive. Whatever patterns we have formed in our lives we hold on to dearly. Change comes hard for people. Men, this pattern of praising your wife is worth attaining—no matter how hard it is to implement. Do whatever is necessary to learn it. Make whatever changes are needed. Go to counseling. Find out why you are the way you are. Once you have experienced what it is like to have a home filled with praise and affirmation as opposed to negativism, you will never go back. Praise inspires, encourages and motivates growth and industry, while criticism and ridicule squelch growth and diminish confidence. My prayer for your home is that it will be like this:

Proverbs 31:28

“Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:”