A House Divided

When the empire of ancient Rome grew to fill most of western Europe, its ability to secure and defend its own borders was stretched to the breaking point. There were various Celtic tribes to the west, various Germanic tribes to the north, and various Slavic tribes to the east.

Even with an enormous professional army, there was no way for Rome to keep out all these barbarians if the tribes united together. Fortunately for Rome, the individual tribes were constantly at war with each other and so they were never able to defeat the weakened defenses of the Roman Empire.

The Roman historian Tacitus records one instance of these inner-tribal conflicts:

The Chamavi and Angrivarii utterly exterminated the Bructeri, with the common help of the neighboring tribes, either from hatred of their tyranny, or from the attractions of plunder, or from heaven's favorable regard to us... I pray that there may long last among the nations, if not a love for us, at least a hatred for each other; for, while the destinies of empire hurry us on, fortune can bestow no greater boon than discord among our foes.

Each individual tribe was small and not very strong, but if they had united together they could have accomplished great things. Rome knew this and purposefully sowed discord among them. It knew that if it could keep them occupied with petty inter-tribal conflicts that they would never be able to present a united front against the empire.

I think Satan works on our families in a similar way. Families can be a great source of strength and support. But if the individuals in the family are making fun of others or belittling them, it weakens the entire family and its ability to help its members survive adversity.

Homes should be a place of refuge, safety, and love. If a family member does not feel those things when he or she is at home then the unity of that family has been weakened.

The Savior taught:

And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mark 3:25

The Lord expects us to be united. We should support each other in our trials and struggles.

Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.
D&C 81:5

If we are united as families then we can stand against great opposition. If we are divided, our houses will fall.

I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.
D&C 38:27

Source: Tacitus