Families are a powerful force in the church. "Honor thy father and mother," isn't really something that we have the option of since it is, after all, a commandment. But what Jesus says about families might surprise you, it surprised me after what I'd been raised to believe.
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 13:46-50
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead." Matthew 8:18-22In my bible the previous passage is titled "The Cost of Following Jesus" and it rings true. There is a cost of following Jesus but just think of what joy you will have by making your family grow and having them all together in Jesus' kingdom one day.
I'm asked frequently if I'll be moving back home to be nearer my parents once I'm done with school, but if I'm following Jesus' calling that should not be my priority. I should be following Jesus' lead which means I will have no home and my family changes according to where I live.
I think this is a harsh truth that many Christians choose not to acknowledge because it gets in the way of their "creature comforts" of being near family. A common theme in the church is how important family is. But is it more important than following Jesus? Doesn't being away from those comforts force us to rely more on God?
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