The Secret to a Peaceful Home

Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
 Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
 Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.                         Psalm 34:11-14 (ESV) 

Meet the Grump Family: The kids are fighting, mom is yelling at the kids and nagging dad about the clogged drain, dad is complaining about that drain and that the kids are rude and disrespectful. Everyone is miserable because their words are hurtful and mean. They don’t stop to think about how their words will affect others. They just let their evil thoughts spew out like a poisonous gas filling the house, killing love and respect between them. Family Motto: But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

Meet the Peace Family: They understand that the world is evil and mean. Their home should be a refuge from the world. They’ve thought through some family rules to ensure this: obey parents with a good attitude, treat others fairly, if you don’t have something nice to say – don’t say anything, be quick to say "I’m sorry".

Is the Peace Family perfect at this? Of course not, but there is much more peace in their home because they practice control of the mouth and take time to think about the other people in their home. Family Motto: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

Do you want to know the secret to a peaceful home? It is right here in Psalm 34. You can’t listen if you are talking. Be quiet, listen to others – that’s how you know what they need. Be quiet, listen to God by reading His word – that’s how you know how to obey Him, how to do good and seek peace.