There are Benefits to Having Extended Family Nearby

In a little more than one century, many of us went from living in a rural or small town setting, surrounded by all kinds of relatives, to urban life in a small nuclear family, or even living as a single individual. In some places this has been a cultural shift towards a more individualistic culture, while in others it was for pure economic reasons. The result is a reshaping of the family and a fragmentation of our extended families.

FAMILY PRIORITY IS CHANGING

God looks for men and women who make their family a priority in their leadership. This reshaping of the family has implications for our leadership and for our family priority. In the Western world, the issue is compounded by a steady decline in marriage rates and an attempt to redefine the family in ways that contradict biblical values.

BIG FAMILY ADVANTAGE

For those still blessed with growing up in close contact with an extended family, there are some clear advantages. Here are only four of them.

1. Shared Burdens. A friend once lost a brother in a motorcycle accident. Being from a family of five siblings made the loss easier to bear, as he still had five immediate relatives to comfort him for his loss. Even financial burdens can be easier to overcome when one is part of a large extended family, as more relatives can help share the price tag for financial crises.

2. Shared Responsibilities. We are all familiar with the African saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Grandparents can make excellent babysitters, helping parents with the job of raising their children, while building deep relationship bonds with grandkids at the same time.

3. Shared Wisdom. I am a grandfather myself, and nothing excites me more than the prospect of mentoring my grandchildren as they grow older (the oldest is 6 years old). Growing up in a multi-generational environment can give a child the clear advantages of multi-generational wisdom.

4. Shared Memories. Some of my most precious memories growing up are from adventures with cousins, conversations with uncles and aunts, and time spent with grandparents. As one author stated, “cousins are childhood playmates who grow up to become forever friends.”

The family is God’s foundation for any human society. It was God’s idea from the start, and a powerful instrument in God’s hand to build up strong leaders. A healthy and godly extended family can help develop strong leaders for the Kingdom of God.

We live in an era of mobility, where most of us end up living far away from our extended families. At the same time, we have the tools to connect with them, even if they live thousands of miles from us. Here is a final thought and a question to ponder. How can we leverage technology to foster family priority and to maintain a close connection with our extended families?