My presiding minister, Douglas Wilson, has a post today entitled A Chiastic Catechism on Human Sexuality. As with most of Wilson’s posts they are fiercely pointed and pointedly fierce in their pontifications. Wilson’s catechism offers one point that I’d like to draw your attention in this short post. Question five asks:
What is the best thing I can do for my children?
On an earthly level, the best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother.
I am always impressed with how much attention my own little children give to my interactions with my wife. They listen to every word. They want to understand. They want to interpret our tone, tune, and talk. They want to listen in and talk it out. They want to imitate. And here is the simple reality: I can show affection to my children, but if my affection is not first and foremost shown and repeated daily like a liturgy of love towards my wife then I am not loving my children. Marital love translates into respect from our children. It is almost impossible to be truly in humble service and love towards my wife and not also sacrificing and showering my children with fatherly love.
When they sleep at night they sleep securely knowing that daddy is protecting and loving mommy. They, in turn, feel protected and loved.
