The family-ministry balance is one that I think we all struggle to find. Whether we are serving overseas or in our passport countries, whether we are single, married, parents to young children, empty nesters, aunts to nieces and nephews, daughters to moms and dads, finding the balance between our family relationships and the ministry God has called us to sometimes feels impossible.

We all know that serving overseas requires much sacrifice, and we can look to history to see examples of families that were sacrificed on the altar of one person's mission or ministry. Certainly, none of us wants to follow that example. On the other hand, I suspect we all know people who go too far in the other direction, making an idol of their families. Also not where we want to land.

Jesus gave us a beautiful example of the importance of caring for our family while at the same time not shirking the ministry God has called us to. As He was dying on the cross, Jesus noticed His mother at His feet. “Woman,” He said, and to us it sounds a little disrespectful, but in reality He was indicating that what He was about to say was serious, almost legal. “Woman,” He said, and somehow pointed or gestured toward John, “this is your son.” And to John, He said, “this is your mother.” Up until His last breath, Jesus was fulfilling the fifth commandment perfectly, the way He fulfilled them all. He honored His mother by making sure that she would be well cared for. And she was. John took Jesus seriously and cared for Mary for the rest of her life. 

It doesn't give us a blueprint for balancing our ministry and our family relationships, but I find it a beautiful that Jesus, even in His last moments, was taking care of His family. It's not ministry or family to Jesus, it's both ministry and family.

What that looks like is going to vary from family to family, season to season. But maybe, just maybe, there is a way that we can honor both our families and our ministry, without sacrificing one for the other. I think Jesus showed us His heart when He cared for His mother until His last breath.