Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working. 1 corinthians 3:5-9 (The Message)

I’ve recently open my home to my brother, his girlfriend and their daughter. Initially I was against it being that they were not Christian. What I mean by that is that either one or both of them regularly use profanity, smoke ciggarettes, don’t believe in God or the Bible and drink alcohol more than I prefer.

They had become homeless and were living with his girlfriends mother. The mother would no longer allow him to stay. And knowing the struggles of his childhood…which influenced him in making some irresponsible decisions…my husband and I decided to have them move here with us.

Around week two my husband got them both jobs. It’s only part-time but it’s a start. When they got here we discussed thier obligations to the family unit…which were, church attendance is a must, no profanity, no somoking in the house, clean up downstairs area of the house…which consists of the bedroom and bathroom that they solely use, vaccum the den and sweep and mop the laundry room once a week.

Since they’ve been using our downstairs they leave soiled pampers on the bedroom and bathroom floor, empty soda bottles, pizza boxes and dirty dishes on the shelves downstairs. I mean a real pigsty.

Remeber I told you that my husband got them jobs…well my brother worked from 5pm until 9pm Friday and Saturday and refused to get up for church on Sunday. He said that he was to tired. If wasn’t saved I would have cussed right about NOW. That following Tuesday I sat them both down and reminded them both that they had agreed that in order to stay here one of the stipulations was to attend church.

Listen ya’ll it’s bad enough that I have them living here unmarried (fornicating) and unbelieving…and I’m not about to allow them to continue to do so in ignorance. Living here they are going to learn the truth. Whether they accept it or not is up to them. He had the audacity to turn around and say “I don’t believe what you believe and I don’t feel like going to church”, and “Why are you forcing your religion on me?” …Excuse me? Forcing…The first thing I thought was you are free to leave anytime you choose. By this time my blood was begining to boil.

I calmed myself down. And simply stated that going to church is not an option. I also notified him that what my children are exposed to is non-negoitiable. I told him that my children will see that we have allowed two unbelievers to live with us (which I now beleive was a mistake) but that we did share the Gospel and forgiveness of Christ with them. And that we told them about the love of God. They will know that even though we accept people we do not condone sin.

I am so regretting this decision. I really hope that through us God can plant a seed of change in their lives.

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