What’s Hanging on Your Walls?

As a little girl, there was a framed poster of Jesus that hung in our living room. It read:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” — John 14:6

At the time, I never paused to consider what those words meant. In fact, my sleeping place was the living room, so looking back, I can say that I bumped into it more than the average person in my house. But never, for once, did it occur to me to ask my mom to explain what the verse meant. I walked past them on my way to school, and when I sat down to watch TV, or when friends came over to play. They blended into the background of everyday life.

As an adult now, I realize something powerful: those words had taken root in me. Even though I wasn’t paying attention as a child, God was using that simple verse to build a foundation in my heart.

My mom never preached a sermon about that poster. She never insisted I memorize it. What she did was far simpler; she let God’s Word live in our home. That choice, intentional yet quiet, became one of the greatest gifts she gave me.

Sometimes, the most ordinary things we place in our homes can have the greatest impact.

Parents, we often wonder if we’re doing enough. We plan family devotions, we take our children to church, and we pray over them at night. And those things matter deeply. I enjoy doing them. But just as powerful are the subtle, everyday reminders of God’s presence, like the verse on the wall, the Bible open on the table, the worship music drifting through the kitchen.

Our children may not mention it. They may not even seem to notice. But these choices form the backdrop of their lives. They shape the atmosphere of our homes and whisper truths that follow them into adulthood.

Think of your home as a classroom of the heart. Every object, every word, every atmosphere teaches something. The question is: what are we teaching without even realizing it?

The world is already filling our children’s minds with messages through school, through media, through culture. As parents, we can’t control everything they hear outside. But we can decide what echoes within the walls of our homes.

A scripture card on the fridge may seem small, but years later, it could be the very verse your son recalls when he faces temptation. A framed passage in the hallway may feel like décor, but one day, it could be the promise your daughter clings to when she feels uncertain. Our homes preach messages whether we intend them to or not. Let’s choose to fill them with truth.

Set a new tone for your home this year. This week, take a walk through your home. What do your walls say? What do your children see every day, sometimes without realizing it? Could you place a verse in the hallway, tuck scripture into a frame, or write a truth-filled verse on a dry-erase board?

Small steps like these may seem insignificant, but they are seeds of eternal value. Décor is not just decoration. It’s discipleship.