Brokenness

I am so thankful that Meg suggested that I listed to the Bible in a Year podcast.  It has been extremely interesting and I have been amazed at how relevant the topics are even though they occurred thousands of years ago.  The one subject that Father Mike Schmitz has focused on in every podcast that I have listened to so far is "brokenness" of the family.  I had never really heard the word before, but as he talked of the struggles in the families of the Bible, it fit perfectly.  There were so many things that caused brokenness in the Bible that were still creating issues for families today.  Incest, death, murder, greed, hunger were just a few that had been mentioned so far.  I found it interesting that the four women in the lineage of Jesus had all endured brokenness in their lives as well.  

Losing my brother definitely changed my family forever.  Brokenness seemed to be a good word for that, especially in the first decade after his death.  Brokenness was also the perfect way to describe the Heinisch family after the death of Jeanette.  One topic that I haven't heard so far in the Bible in a Year podcast that has caused brokenness for so many families in the world is abuse.  It can come in so many forms and can be absolutely devastating.  I had been thinking about that issue a lot over the past year.  Although physical and sexual abuse were some of the worst causes of brokenness, verbal and emotional abuse could also destroy a family.  Yelling and screaming at someone no matter their age is always hurtful.  Calling them names or saying mean things to them in anger could change a family forever.  Just like physically striking someone, words can knock a person to the ground.  Unfortunately, they can't be taken back.  As a parent, you should never say something in anger no matter how old your child is.  Those words will sting for a lifetime, especially if you try to justify yourself by blaming the child for your actions.  Even if your child is an adult, choosing your words carefully during a disagreement or time of stress is the easiest way to stop brokenness from taking over your family life.