This week, I’d like to talk about family. Family is an integral part of our lives. It is a precious part of our lives. It is an unavoidable part of our lives. And we are all those things to our families as well. Each member of each family fills a unique position and brings a unique flavor to that family. And without each member, that family just wouldn’t be same.
I think of family like this…
I have three families: the family that raised me, the family that I raised, and my spiritual family. Each one is vitally important in my life. However, I know that not everyone has 3 families. And that’s ok. We actually only need one. And no matter what our family situations are in the physical realm, it’s always available to be in God’s spiritual family (more on that later). But if you do have two or three families, you have added blessings in your life – and added responsibilities.
The family that raised me…
We would not be the people we are today without the family that raised us. Whether you had a wonderful up-bringing or a horrible one, it laid the foundation for who you are. Think about it, in order to be here today, we must have been born. And we must have been cared for and trained in some fashion or we wouldn’t be functioning adults. Our parents did that for us because they loved us. Maybe we don’t agree with everything they taught us or the way they raised us, but that doesn’t mean that they were bad parents. Whether we like the way our parents raised us or not, they did at least one great thing for us – they taught us to think for ourselves.
In addition, the family that raised us often included siblings. Siblings are special individuals who hold a distinct place in our lives. In our youth, they could be our opponents or our biggest supporters. They could be our nemeses or our rescuers. But as adults, they are usually our trusted friends. They can be our confidants and our secret-keepers. We may have had friends in our lives that we have lost track of, but our siblings are seldom forgotten.
I know that there are many different kinds of families and many kinds of family problems. But all in all, no matter what our family situation was, it was a necessary part of our growing up. And honestly, we must admit that our lives are full of memories, habits, traits, thoughts, and opinions that came from the family that raised us.
The family that I raised…
As special as the family that raised me, is to me; the family that I raised is even more so. Seeing the family from the parent’s perspective, changes everything. It’s no longer about the care I receive, but about the care I give. It’s no longer about whether I am loved or not, but about how much I love.
Child-rearing is a parent’s most important responsibility. It is a daunting task when you consider that you are leaving an imprint on a future adult. But it is also the most gratifying adventure when you see your children flourishing. As parents, we want the best for our families. We are willing to make sacrifices to see our children succeed and our families prosper. We appreciate the value of the family unit. And if we are really fortunate, all our hard work will pay off with the ultimate prize – grandchildren! (All of you grandparents know just what I mean! 😊)
I know that in the world, any number of things can prevent us from having a happy family life. We’re all simply people subject to frailties and failures. We make mistakes, we get hurt, we hurt one another, we give in to selfishness. Any of these things can come between even the closest family members. But when families work out their differences and stick together, there is strength. Families support and protect each other.
But even though families can fall apart, and for some they may never have been together; God has provided a family for all of us by calling us to salvation.
My spiritual family…
Anyone who gets born again becomes a son of God and therefore part of His family. He is the loving Father, and we are His children. When you think of the best family situation you can picture, God’s family is better. God is LOVE. His actions are always motivated by love. He is the most loving, most kind, and most generous Father we can imagine. And, like we carry the genes of our physical father, we carry the nature of our Heavenly Father as well. So, not only are we loved, but we also can love without fear. God is a perfect Father. There is no frailty or failure in Him. He will never leave. He will never quit. He will always protect us. And if that isn’t enough – we also have a perfect big brother! Christ Jesus who is sitting at God’s right hand, is always speaking to God on our behalf. He is always, always our biggest supporter and our rescuer!
In God’s family are many children, all of which, by definition, are our brothers and sisters. If you were the only child in your physical family, you’re not anymore! You now have more siblings that you can count! And when we all are likeminded on the instructions that our Father has given us, we will be the happiest and most blessed family ever! With God as our Father directing our steps, we will shine as lights in this world.
So, whether you have 3 families, two, or just one – as long as one of them is God’s family; you will always have all that you could ever need.
Note to my readers: I hope you have as much joy in your families as I have in mine. God bless you!