CREED, Rebuilding Your Family FortressSample

3. Taking Inventory

Anyone who has ever worked in any form of logistics, retail or storage would agree that inventory is one of the most challenging tasks to manage. It’s something most people don’t look forward to doing at all. Yet, without it, we won’t know what we have in store, what has gone to waste or need to be thrown out, or what needs to be replaced, repurposed, and updated.

Most of us men like taking charge. Tackling the bull by the horns and settling problems quickly. Though, some of us prefer piling up, procrastinating, hoping that problems will disappear and that the things we horde won’t burst out of the closets and come rumbling out. Very few of us like taking inventory – at our homes, or in our lives.

Jesus said that we should rather sort out the things stealing our own focus, like beams in our own eyes, than pointing to the faults of others (Matthew 7:1-5). And this is what we see Nehemiah doing shortly after arriving in Jerusalem. He could have started off by pointing fingers to his countrymen and those left responsible for Jerusalem’s upkeep. But instead, he did a thorough survey of the city’s true condition. He took inventory of what’s really going on, analyzing the wall’s weak spots, and identifying the opportunities for change. Nehemiah did not feel the need to do this with fanfare and showmanship in front of an audience either, but rather went by himself on a fact-finding mission.

And then (in verse 17) he pointed out the problems, and suggested solutions as well.

In our own lives, in our own homes, we need also to go on a fact-finding mission every now and again. Every so often we also must take inventory on the state of our own spirituality and the condition of our families. And yes, it starts with us as leaders of our households. We cannot point the finger to the speck in our children’s eyes or our wives’ saw dusted vision. No, we start by pulling out the beams from our own sights, inch by inch. And then, with a clearer vision, we can start cleaning house.

First, we assess, and then we address. We cannot start planning better financial expenditure if we don’t know what’s really going on in our finances. We cannot implement family Bible study if we don’t get one-on-one time with God ourselves. We cannot say family first, if in fact, they always come last in our schedules. Anything we implement in our homes; we must first set the example for on our own accord. Then, as with Nehemiah, our families will respond saying: “Yes, let’s build it!”

It takes courage to face the facts of our current situation. We will need to take responsibility to assess and then address the things that’s out of place. It will first require excellence from us before our houses will follow. And then also take loads of enthusiasm from us before our wives and children will get excited about change. And at the end of the day, when resistance come from either outside or within our homes, we must stay devoted to the course we set upon with God’s wisdom and guidance.

Inspect your own walls:

1. Assess your own life and/or household. Which parts need to be rebuilt or better laid out?
(For instance – budgeting, spiritual wellness, discipline, routine, family time, or anything else)

2. How have you been, or will you start, addressing this in your personal and home life?

3. What might you need to fully devote to God in prayer today?