ience of so many of us professing
Christians in our homes--little irritations, frayed tempers,
selfishness and resentments; and even where there is nothing very
definitely wrong between us, just not that complete oneness and
fellowship that ought to characterise Christians living together. All
the things that come between us and others, come between us and God
and spoil our fellowship with Him, so that our hearts are not
overflowing with the Divine Life.

What is wrong with our Homes?

Now what at bottom is wrong with our homes? When we talk about homes,
we mean the relationship which exists between a husband and wife, a
parent and child, a brother and sister, or between any others who,
through various circumstances are compelled to live together.

The first thing that is wrong with so many families is that they are
not really open with one another. We live so largely behind drawn
blinds. The others do not know us for what we really are, and we do
not intend that they should. Even those living in the most intimate
relationships with us do not know what goes on inside--our
difficulties, battles, failures, nor what the Lord Jesus has to
cleanse us from so frequently. This lack of transparency and openness
is ever the result of sin. The first effect of the first sin was to
make Adam and Eve hide from God behind the trees of the Garden. They
who had been so transparent with God and with one another were then
hiding from God, because of sin; and if they hid from God you can be
quite sure that they soon began to hide from one another. There were
reactions and thoughts in Adam's heart that Eve was never allowed to
know and there were like things hidden in Eve's heart too. And so it
has been ever since. Having something to hide from God, we hide it,
too, from one another. Behind that wall of reserve, which acts like a
mask, we cover our real selves. Sometimes we hide in the most
extraordinary way behind an assumed jocular manner. We are afraid to
be serious because we do not want others to get too close and see us
as we really are, and so we keep up a game of bluff. We are not real
with one another, and no one can have fellowship with an unreal
person, and so oneness and close fellowship are impossible in the
home. This is what the Scripture calls "walking in darkness"--for the
darkness is anything which hides.

The Failure to Love.

The second thing that is wrong with our homes is our failure really
to love one anot