Daily Devotional

Growing up, we played a LOT of board games. (Still a favorite hobby, though living with small children makes it difficult.) For some games, we developed “house rules,” additions to the game to make it more engaging or to “nerf” paths to victory that were too easy. A classic example is the Free Parking space in Monopoly. Hasbro’s rules are explicit that nothing happens when you land on this space, but we and many others use the space as a jackpot for all the money accumulated in the middle of the board. Landing on it caused much rejoicing. (Yay!)

In the CA Tremaine household, however, “house rules” has another meaning. Hanging in our living room is a framed piece of paper titled “Tremaine House Rules.” My wife Lauren and I created this list of 22 principles as part of our pre-marital counseling, representing the values we want our family to embody. Here’s the list:

We put God first (Matthew 6:33).
We love God (Deuteronomy 6:5).
We love others (1 John 4:7)
We delight in God’s Word (Psalm 1:2).
We pray about everything (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
We live on mission (Matthew 28:19-20).
We obey our authorities (Romans 13:1).
We speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
We use words that build up (Ephesians 4:29).
We forgive freely (Ephesians 4:32).
We work and play heartily (Colossians 3:23).
We embrace responsibility (Luke 12:48).
We persevere when things are tough (James 1:12).
We pursue wisdom (Proverbs 1:7-9).
We dwell on God-honoring things (Philippians 4:8).
We give generously (2 Corinthians 9:7).
We serve joyfully (Romans 12:11).
We steward what God has given us (1 Peter 4:10).
We care for our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19).
We treasure our family (Deuteronomy 6:7).
We laugh a lot (Proverbs 17:22).
We do all things for God’s glory. (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Do we follow these principles perfectly? Certainly not. Our family is made up of sinners, like every other family. But these rules call us to a higher standard of behavior than just “be nice and have fun,” providing us with clear reasons for why we do what we do. When Lottie asks why she has to eat her vegetables, we can tell her it’s because “Tremaines care for our bodies.” When Elliott asks, “Why do I have to do chores?”, we can tell him it’s because Tremaines embrace responsibility. “Why do I have to learn math?” Because Tremaines pursue wisdom. “Why can’t I watch that movie?” Because Tremaines dwell on God-honoring things. “Why do I have to listen to you?” Because Tremaines obey our authorities. “Why do you talk so much about God?” Because Mommy and Daddy love God, and we want you to love him, too.

Take a moment to day to consider your own “house rules.” By what “rules,” written or unwritten, does your household operate? As Christians, we have the unique opportunity to turn our homes into little outposts of the Kingdom, modeling the life of Jesus for our friends, neighbors, and family members. But cultivating that takes work and intentionality. What is one step you can take this week to say with Joshua, “as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)?

"English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers."