Sacrifice for the Family

So far we have seen the Shepherd protects and cultivates the sheep.  Today we discover the shepherd who cherishes the sheep.  When Jesus declared himself the Good Shepherd in John 10 he told his disciples " So I sacrifice my life for the sheep."  Cherishing the Sheep leads to sacrificing for the sheep.  This is what we are called to do in our marriage and family.  Craig Groeschel uses this phrase "give up things you love for things you love even more".   What a perfect picture of sacrificing.
So let's start with our marriage.  
We are told by our culture we can do it all but we really can't.  The only thing more important than our marriages is our walk with Jesus.  So why do so many things compete with this relationship?  Our jobs, our hobbies, and even our kids can compete for and cause us to put our marriages off to the side.  If you don't give up things you love for the things you love more you will cherish the wrong things.  Cherish your kids more than your spouse and when they move out you will have nothing left.  The decision to enter the covenant of marriage is a decision to say no to things we love for things we love even more.
What about our families?
In the order of priorities it is God, Marriage, and then family.  Again, too many people are cherishing the wrong things.  Your kids know what you cherish.  They know if your hobbies are more important than they are.  They know if your job is what you cherish most.  They know.  And this cherishing of the wrong things does have consequences.  Your children will compete for your love and attention.  They might act like never before in order to capture your attention once again.  Is this happening in your home?  It probably means it is time to give up things you love for things you love even more.
Start cherishing what is most important again.  It is another way you fight FOR  your family.  Don't and you continue to fight against them.  The choice is yours.