Who is part of your family? Are there people you consider members who are not physically related to you? Do you have members who have been adopted? Are you part of a mixed family who considers all to be part of the family? Do you consider church members to be part of your family?
Families can be messy. Relationships can be messy. We see a lot of mixed families. We also see families who have adopted members, whether legally adopted or simply considered to be adopted. Families may also include people who are on the fringes—sometimes in and sometimes out.
But who does Jesus consider to be family? The simple answer? Those who do the will of God. That can be good news and bad news. It depends on whether we are doing the will of God or not. Lest we get too carried away, that does not mean always being busy. The will of God does not require us to always being doing something.
The will of God, as Jesus explains in John 6:29, is to believe in Jesus. That doesn’t mean God doesn’t have work for us to do, he does. But to believe in Jesus is to do the work God has for us to do at the time God wants us to do it. That means there will be times for rest and times for work. It means we must listen for the Holy Spirit to lead us.
With that being said, we should also consider those who believe in Jesus to be our family. They are our brothers and sisters. Some of them are our spiritual mothers and fathers. Regardless of how you think of them, think of them as family. Seek to forgive, reconcile, love, and abide with one another. The unity of the family is precious to Jesus.
I pray we all seek to do the will of God. I pray we know we are part of the family of God. I pray each one of us will forgive, reconcile, love and abide with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do God’s will. Believe in Jesus Christ. You are part of God’s family. Love your brothers and sisters.
Mark 3:33-35 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Marty Pressey 