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What Families Need During Times of Crisis
by Norman and Ann Bales
All About Families
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The events of September 11 drastically altered family dynamics and changed family plans for everyone. We can't get our minds around the enormous grief that overwhelms the thousands of families who lost loved ones. For some reason it reminds us of the time when Herod massacred all the infants in Bethlehem under the age of two. Matthew exposed the king's cruelty in the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great -mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. - Matthew 2:18
Many, perhaps most of us, don't know any of the grieving families, but all families are affected. As the poet John Donne once said, "no man is an island." Our lives are seriously challenged by the knowledge that there are people living on this planet who have such low regard for their own lives and the lives of others. We are also uneasy because we don't know how many others there are like them and where they may strike next. No prophet will appear on the horizon to tell us what will happen next. So what do families need when they must learn how to manage their lives with a different set of assumptions?
We can think of a number of things.
- Basic survival needs - food, shelter, clothing, etc.
- A safe environment.
- Protection from those who intend harm.
- Fellow burden-bearers.
- Caring family relationships.
- An opportunity to improve society.
- Loving relationships outside the family.
- Appreciation for God's creation.
- Hope for the future.
Maybe our list isn't exhaustive, but it's enough to get us started thinking about it. From the Christian perspective, each of these can be provided in a legitimate manner, but none of them can be adequately met without an intimate relationship with God. Jesus' challenge should mean more to us than it has ever meant. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). That's what families need.
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