Assault Against Families: Part Three

​Malachi 4:5-6  “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (ESV)
 
What we are currently witnessing is the devil’s preemptive strike against the unity of families in advance of God’s move to restore proper family relationships. The enemy has several specific strategies. This series of short blogs is an effort to lay out each of them that I have witnessed recently. It is up to you to choose what you will do about it.

ASSAULT OF GREED

The bulk of our population is aging rapidly. The enemy is using greed and avarice to break up families by the score. A broken family also impacts the communities in which they dwell. I have been introduced to several families with eerily similar situations. A single aging parent is still in their own home. They are being looked after by one of their children, usually a daughter. The executor of the parent’s estate is normally the most successful child and is seldom also the caretaker. As the expiration date of the parent looms visibly nearer on the horizon, a squabble is ignited over who is taking advantage of the situation. The caretaker, the executor, the annual visitor and a nephew start discussing what is fair. 
It’s interesting to me that the ones who are most concerned over “fairness” have no real interest in the old family dwelling and have no need for any of a cash inheritance. Yet, they are not only determined get their “fair share,” but require those who are suspected of wrongdoing to be brought to justice. 

ASSAULT AGAINST COMMUNICATION
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Meaningful communication over the issue becomes weak; suspicion and innuendo run rampant. The executor conveniently never has the details at hand, the volunteer caretaker has made healthcare decisions that are questionable, and somebody took the family Bible off the coffee table and a picture off the wall in the hallway. Must have been Sue. She was the last to visit. Sue’s son borrowed mom’s car and he didn’t bring it back for six weeks. What’s going on here?  And on it goes … to the destruction of all family relationships.
Fight the enemy when he desires to take an inch, or else he will take a mile. Pray. Keep communication open in your family. Invest in sibling relationships. Stand united.