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“If I follow Jesus who will be my family?”
Before you tell him that he has a new family, let’s stop…
…and think a minute. The topic of family reminds me of a rose bush – beautiful but full of thorns. God created families – mothers and fathers and children and the Bible has a lot to say about them. Honor your father and mother. Obey your parents. It’s good for most people to be married and have children. In the New Testament letters, people are addressed as wives and husbands, parents and children. People cried over sick and dying relatives, remembered who raised them, loved, grieved and celebrated with family, made wise and unwise child rearing decisions, disrespected their parents and wept over being childless. Roses and thorns.
Sound familiar? The world – and I mean the whole world – all countries and cultures, all kinds of churches, and everyone’s concept of a family, is made up of broken people. Sinful. Selfish. Some have acknowledged their brokenness and the only Source of lasting healing. Others have not and search for other remedies. Some break free alone and others as a family. Jesus says no matter what family you were born into you can join the family of God; the church family, by faith in Him.
A natural family and church family – what is their relationship? Obviously, Jesus changes the membership requirement. It’s not by birth but by faith. Single and childless all have a place. Yet, Jesus and His followers also valued natural families. “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” He called people to honor their parents and marriages. Family stories abound. Paul advised that an older man should be admired as one’s father. Family titles. Brother, sister, father.
In Nuclear Family or Church Family, Harriet Connor shares how natural family relationships provide the model for relationships within the church family. “We need to be collaborators not competitors. We must let the gospel reorient our family relationships…make our families strong at the core and flexible around the edges.” God, help us to see each other as Your chosen children.
Is your team sometimes seen as a family? What are the pros and cons of this?
Yes, because we are all teachers we often have the ‘boss’ at the school where we work. Because we are all from North America, all speak English and are seen together it is often assumed we are related in some way. The biggest challenge is that sometimes the families with children would like to have some time together – just them. Or at least sometime the kids would like it. Understandable. Some singles are fine with this and others miss being part of a family with kids. Compromise! Also, we don’t really know each other like a real biological family might so there can be surprises. For example, the school wondering why Bob did such and such, what was he thinking? And no one on the team knew either. But the care and concern we have for each other as the Body- even though we aren’t related - is also a huge witness.