As for Me and My House - New Evangelizers

Each family must decide what matters to them most.  “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”  -Joshua 24:15, NAB

Joshua 24:15 looks good in a painting.  It inspires others as a plaque on our wall.  It’s even a good reminder as a paperweight on our desk.  But teaching your family to follow the Lord requires more than memorizing a Bible verse.  We must believe it, follow it, and live it with every fiber of our being.

When we talk about evangelization, we often focus on the impact we have on the larger world around us; however, our focus needs to begin in our own homes.  Our families are a gift, and we owe it to God to begin our efforts of evangelization there.

For parents, the first thing that comes to mind is catechizing our children, but this is just one aspect of evangelizing within the home.  The actions we take can have an even larger impact than the words we say and the concepts we teach.

Recently, I ran into a woman whose faith is evident from the moment you meet her.  Outside the home, most would admire her faith.  Inside the home, her children would tell a different story.  They would tell you that her actions at home do not reflect her words in public.

How hypocritical is it to preach the name of Jesus in the streets but deny Him by our actions within our own homes?

As for me and my house, I would rather support my wife and her faith journey than type another word for the printed page.

As for me and my house, I would rather raise my children with Jesus in their hearts than say another word on stage.

As for me and my house, I would rather solidly live my faith within the home than impress the world with the depths of my hypocrisy.

Hopefully, our strength and faith inside the home will only equip us for greater works outside of it, yet if we never make impact on the world around us, we can be content knowing that we tended to the flock God has given us.

Life is full of options.  Our homes and families can go many directions.  The choice is ultimately up to us.  How would you finish this statement: “As for me and my house…”

© Chad R. Torgerson

Chad R. Torgerson

Chad R. Torgerson works as an IT Analyst for a Catholic publishing group. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and sharing his faith on his website, Waking Up Catholic, a guide to the Catholic RCIA process. and is also the Co-Founder of Assisi Media, a new Catholic publishing company focused on using new media to reach everyday Catholics. His new book, Waking Up Catholic, is available in eBook and paperback formats.