Lesson 10 – Blessed in Our Homes

Proverbs 3:33 (NIV)
"The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous."

While some take this proverb at face value, claiming life will be an easy one for every true believer, the experience of believers throughout the centuries tells us otherwise. Life doesn't always come up roses for the believer, and certainly, the wicked seem to get ahead more than we think they deserve.

When some read this, they use it as an excuse to deny the faith, like those who say they can't worship a God who allows suffering in the world, even if the curse is on the unbeliever. Others claim to accept its simplest reading, but then struggle when they face suffering, wonder if their righteousness is at fault. How good is good enough to avoid suffering?

So what then do we do with this verse?

I think the answer lies in a clearer understanding of God's blessing. The trouble is, we apply our own ideas of what a blessing would be as we interpret this verse. Most of us see blessings as an easy life, success in all we do, and plenty of wealth and happiness. Sure, those are blessings from God, but I don't think they are the blessing referred to in this verse.

The whole story of Christianity carries the theme that all of creation is cursed by sin, falling with Adam and Eve as they chose the path of disobedience. But with faith in Christ, we are no longer cursed, but have received a righteousness that is of God. We are declared holy. In this way, the believer is blessed. Surely this verse carries this idea when it speaks of righteousness.

But the verse still goes further. Here it speaks of a blessing and a curse upon the home. And while salvation is an individual decision of every person, there is a sense of God's blessing on the home of the believer. Paul hints of this in 1 Corinthians when he writes of a home being sanctified by the believer, even when the spouse is not of the family of God. Where a believer present, God considers that home under his umbrella of blessing, even when the whole family has not accepted Jesus as Savior.

These are words of comfort for those married to an unbelieving spouse. In spite of the situation you find yourself in, be assured that God's hand of blessing is upon your home. While we cannot say for sure how this blessing will be played out in individual families, we can know and trust that it will be for the good of Christ's kingdom.