Show piety at home
William MacDonald emphasizes that true Christian piety is demonstrated not in public but in the way believers treat their families and loved ones at home.
In this devotional sermon, William MacDonald challenges believers to examine their behavior at home, emphasizing that true Christian piety is reflected in everyday family relationships rather than just public appearances. He warns against the common hypocrisy of being gracious to outsiders while harsh to loved ones. Drawing from scripture and practical examples, MacDonald calls Christians to live out their faith consistently in all areas of life.
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“…Show piety at home…” (1 Tim. 5:4)
You’ve heard the expression, “A devil at home, a saint abroad.” It describes the horrible tendency to be gracious and outgoing to those in the outside world and yet be harsh and unkind at home.
This is a failing that is not confined to any particular class of people. Young people have to guard against it. It’s so easy to be a TV personality with one’s peers, yet be a terror to one’s parents. Husbands may maintain a charming front with their business associates, then when they come home, they turn off the charm and are their normal, irritable selves. Preachers may have a scintillating style in the pulpit and a rotten disposition in the family room.
It is one of the perverse streaks of our fallen state that we are sometimes meanest to those who are closest to us, who do the most for us, and who, in our saner moments, we love the best. Thus Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote:
One great truth in life I’ve found,
While journeying to the West;
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know.
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those we love the best.
Another poet echoed these sentiments as follows: “We have greetings for the stranger and smiles for the guest, but oft for our own the bitter tone, though we love our own the best.”
“It is very easy to have a church religion, or a prayer-meeting religion, or a Christian-work religion; but it is altogether a different thing to have an everyday religion. To ‘show piety at home’ is one of the most vital parts of Christianity, but it is also one far too rare; and it is not at all an uncommon thing to find Christians who ‘do their righteousness’ before outsiders ‘to be seen of men,’ but who fail lamentably in showing their piety at home. I knew a father of a family who was so powerful in prayer at the weekly prayer meeting, and so impressive in exhortation that the whole church was edified by his piety; but who, when he went home after the meetings, was so cross and ugly that his wife and family were afraid to say a word in his presence.” (H.W. Smith).
Samuel Johnson said, “Every animal revenges his pains upon those who happen to be near.” Man should avoid this natural tendency.
What we are at home is a truer index of our Christian character than what we are in public.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Problem of Inconsistent Piety
- The tendency to be gracious publicly but harsh at home
- Examples from various people including young people, husbands, and preachers
- The fallen nature causing us to wound those we love most
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II. The Importance of Showing Piety at Home
- Everyday religion versus public religion
- The rarity and vital necessity of home piety
- The contrast between public prayer meeting behavior and private family conduct
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III. Biblical and Moral Insights
- Samuel Johnson’s observation on natural revenge on those near
- The home as a true index of Christian character
- The call to overcome natural tendencies through Christ
Key Quotes
“A devil at home, a saint abroad.” — William MacDonald
“It is very easy to have a church religion, or a prayer-meeting religion, or a Christian-work religion; but it is altogether a different thing to have an everyday religion.” — William MacDonald
“What we are at home is a truer index of our Christian character than what we are in public.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Examine your behavior at home and strive to show the same kindness and grace you display publicly.
- Recognize that your family relationships are a key indicator of your Christian character.
- Depend on Christ’s strength to overcome natural tendencies to be harsh with those closest to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'show piety at home' mean?
It means demonstrating genuine Christian love, kindness, and holiness in the family setting, not just in public or church contexts.
Why is it important to be kind to family members?
Because family members are often the closest to us and deserve our best Christian behavior, reflecting true faith.
Can someone be a good Christian publicly but fail at home?
Yes, the sermon warns against the hypocrisy of appearing righteous in public while being harsh or unkind at home.
How can Christians overcome the tendency to be harsh at home?
By recognizing this natural failing and relying on Christ’s grace to cultivate consistent holiness in all areas of life.
What scripture is the sermon based on?
The sermon is based on 1 Timothy 5:4, which instructs believers to show piety at home.