The featured image on this post, with the family standing on the pier with turbulent high water surrounding it, reminds me of the danger to families in our culture. Families, as God designed them, are being broken apart and our culture is boldly and unashamedly redesigning the family to be whatever one chooses it to be, family structures that are in opposition to creation. Our culture as a whole is becoming more accepting of a new definition of family and is pushing these new family structures as good, healthy, and enlightened.
Welcoming Family Diversity in the Classroom
Students’ family
structures vary now perhaps more than ever before. It’s therefore important for teachers to be inclusive of all types of families when it comes to communication, assignments and many other aspects of classroom life.
Diverse family structures can include:
- Single parent (divorced or never-married)
- Foster parent(s) (or state as legal guardian)
- Adoptive parent(s)
- Blended (biological parent and another parent figure to whom s/he may or may not be married)
- Unmarried biological parents
- Polyamorous parents (multiple romantic partners in household)
- LGBT parent(s)
- Non-parent relative(s) as guardian(s) (grandparent, aunt, etc.)
From: Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor
It’s one thing to teach children to be aware of, and to be kind to, other children of various family structures; it is an entirely different concern when educators, media and activists attempt to alter the destiny of humanity by altering the structure of the family by teaching children that families with unmarried parents, two dads or two moms, or polyamorous parents (multiple romantic partners in household) is normal.
Most parents do not embrace these morals/beliefs and do not wish for their children to be indoctrinated in this way.
Marriage is not a humanly devised institution, it was established by our Creator. God designed the family with a father and a mother for very good reason, children need the guidance, love, affection and role modeling of both their parents, the male influence and the female influence. However, divorce and single parenting is a reality in our broken world; we need to have compassion on those living in broken homes while still upholding God’s design for the family.
Reams of social science and medical research convincingly show that children who are raised by their married, biological parents enjoy better physical, cognitive and emotional outcomes, on average, than children raised in other circumstances…[R]esearchers have been able to make a strong case that marriage has causal impacts on outcomes such as children’s schooling, their social and emotional adjustment and their employment, marriage and mental health as adults.
Ribar, “Why Marriage Matters for Child Wellbeing,”12.
In God’s word, the Bible gives us instruction on how families, parents, husbands, wives and children should live together.
Recently I heard a very good teaching regarding the design God has for family- some very important foundational truths.
Foundational Truth # 1: God designed men and women and they are equal in His eyes. Genesis 1:27 
- Both are created in the image and likeness of God.
- Both are equally sinners in need of grace and salvation. Romans 3:9
- Both are equally forgiven for sin when it is repented of. Luke 24:47
- Both equally receive the Holy Spirit when Jesus is received as Lord and Savior. Acts 1:8
- Both are equally welcomed before the throne of Grace, and equally heirs of God. Galatians 3:28
Foundational Truth # 2: Although designed equal, the two sexes are certainly not the same; and their roles are complementary. 
Complementarian simply means that husbands and wives embrace roles that are intrinsically equal in worth and value but distinct and unique in design, role and function. One isn’t better than the other; they complete or complement each other. Ginger Kolbaba,
- Males and females differ in bone density, tendons, ligaments, muscle mass, skeletal muscles, hormones and other biological and physiological differences.
- Males have different chromosomes than females. They differ in a pair of chromosomes known as the sex chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y chromosome.
- Male and Female sex organs are different but complementary and necessary to reproduce life.
- Women, due to their physical makeup, do not have the same physical strength as men. 1 Peter 3:7
- The identity of men and women is found in God, not the culture around us. Genesis 1:27
- Jesus Christ’s followers have an identity given to them by being known by God intimately and personally as His child. This is central to who we are. Colossians 3:3
- To be clear, a wife’s role is not about being a subservient doormat who submits to her husband in any and all circumstances. If a husband is acting in ungodly ways, acting superior, is making unreasonable demands and acting as a military boss who oppressively demands his way, he is not being obedient to Christ. Ephesians 5:22-28
Foundational Truth # 3: Men and women are interdependent.
- Through the history of human beings, their differences have helped men and women survive and thrive- mostly by working together.
- Children are born only through the union of the male and female.
- Healthy interdependent male and female relationships seek to meet each other’s physical and emotional needs in appropriate and meaningful ways.
- God gave the male in the home headship so – an extra measure of responsibility was given to him. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, it was Adam’s name that God called out to, to give account for their sin. Genesis 3:17
- Husbands and wives need to respect and love each other while seeking to meet each others needs. This will happen as they work together in their marriage, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, Ephesians 5:21 while still honoring God’s headship role for the husband.
- Biblical submission never dominates, disrespects, demands or abuses another person nor does it require spouses to deny their abilities, their personality or shut off their intellect.
In addition to what has already been mentioned above, God has given us these very important instructions to enable us to have strong and healthy families.
Ephesians 6:1–4 NIV says:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Christian marriages and families are far from perfect. They face challenges and trials just like everyone else. The difference is – or should be- for those who are looking to God’s design, they know what God’s plan is for their relationships. When they struggle, they go to the designer for the answers.
When we purchase something that needs to be assembled, if we are smart and want to get it right, we will read the owners manual before and during the assembly. God’s word is like that…the owners manual for life. What a gift that is to us!
So what does the Bible say about family? The physical family is the most important building block to human society, and as such, it should be nurtured and protected. But more important than that is the new creation that God is making in Christ, which is comprised of a spiritual family, the Church, made up of all people who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. This is a family drawn “from every nation, tribe, people and language” Revelation 7:9, and the defining characteristic of this spiritual family is love for one another: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:34-35. Paragraph from gotquestions.org
If you want to know more about what it means to be part of the spiritual family that God is making in Christ and how you can become a part of that, please go to this link. Peace With God
The lyrics of this song, The Marriage Prayer expresses the love that a husband and wife who are followers of Jesus Christ seek to have for one another. Without this foundation, marriage is very tentative.