The Guiding Principles of the Christian Family

By Danny Saavedra

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”—Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

Every family has a center, a nucleus . . . a guiding principle. For some families, the center is success—everything revolves around grades, careers, performance, reputation, money, achievement, and getting ahead. For others, the center is comfort—the goal is to avoid conflict, stay busy, keep everyone happy, and make life as easy as possible. For others, the center is the calendar—sports, school, work, hobbies, parties, appointments, and events quietly become the thing the whole household orbits around.

Now, none of those things are automatically evil. Work matters. School matters. Rest matters. Activities can be good. Success is important. But the Christian family is called to have a different center. Scripture gives us a very clear guiding principle and nucleus from which every aspect of our lives must flow from—and it’s found in today’s passage: “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Friends, this verse is much more than just a nice saying that Hobby Lobby puts on a wooden sign for you to hang in your house. It’s a declaration of spiritual direction.

Before entering the Promised Land, Joshua was drawing a line in the sand. Israel had to decide who they’d worship, who they’d follow, and what kind of people they’d become. And Joshua made it clear: His household would belong to the Lord.

This should be the guiding statement of every Christian family. Not “as for me and my house, we will be perfect” or “we will never struggle” or “we will always have it all together.” Instead, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

This means every role in the family matters. Husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, single adults, blended families, spiritual mothers and fathers in the church family . . . every person has an opportunity to help point the household toward the Lord. Every member is called to make Jesus the center of their own life and live in such a way that points the others to Him.

So, what does that look like practically? What does that mean for you as a member of your family?

Well, first it means being devoted to Jesus personally. That’s the most important thing you can do for yourself and for your family. Let Him shape your heart, your head, and your hands. A Christ-centered family starts with Christ-centered people—not perfect people, but surrendered people who are learning to say, “Lord, begin with me. Make me more like You.”

Second, serving the Lord as a family means allowing your relationship with Jesus to impact the way you treat the people closest to you. Because let’s be honest: It’s one thing to be patient at church; it’s another thing to be patient at home. It’s one thing to worship on Sunday; it’s another thing to serve the Lord in the way you speak to your spouse, honor your parents, disciple your children, forgive your sibling, care for an aging family member, or love the family member who is difficult to love.

This is where our faith becomes very real. The home is often the place where our character is most clearly revealed. Serving the Lord in our households looks like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It looks like speaking with grace instead of harshness. It looks like humility instead of pride. It looks like confession instead of defensiveness. It looks like forgiveness instead of bitterness. It looks like serving one another in love instead of demanding that everyone serve you.

And even with all that, this doesn’t mean your family will be perfect. It means you’ll be a family being formed by Jesus; a family where Jesus is the center.

Pause: What’s your household currently centered on? What would those closest to you say matters most in your home?

Practice: Look for one ordinary moment today to point someone in your family toward the Lord. It could be a prayer, a conversation, an apology, an encouragement, or a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Pray: Lord, make my home a place where You’re remembered, worshiped, talked about, and followed. Begin with me. Shape my heart, renew my mind, and teach me to serve my family with love, humility, patience, and grace. Help us to be a household that serves You. Amen.