A Family Affair

Matthew 12:46-50

“ ⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

 ⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” 

In the passage above, Jesus is doing God’s work by talking to the crowd of people and is told that His “family” wants to speak to Him, or cause an interruption in what He is currently doing for God.

Sometimes it seems like we are on fire for God, doing our best to please God in everything we think/say/do and suddenly we begin to feel like we are being distracted or judged. Not just a “here and there” type of distraction or a fleeting type of judgement from strangers we will never meet or see again, but constant distraction or judgement from our own “family” and friends. You know, people who we have relationships with who are supposed to have our best interest at heart. Yep, THOSE people.

Sometimes it is those people who are closest to us that can hold us back in spiritual growth the most, either accidentally or purposefully. There will be people in your family (and certain friends) who will refuse to recognize the difference that Christ is continually making in your life and will try and tempt you into doing things that you once did. They will attempt to remind you of any & every natural reason for you to not think that you are qualified for God’s work. (You know, all the things that you’re proud and grateful for that God delivered you from.) 

Mark 6:1-6

^“1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

   “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,^[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

 ⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.” 

One of the hardest things about expressing the change that Christ has made in us sometimes is explaining it to our family and friends. It’s hard because most of the time these are the people that KNOW what you did, who you did it with, why you did it, and what you had on WHEN you did it. At times it almost feels like we’re trying to “sell” them on the idea that the Blood of Jesus is powerful enough to wash away ALL of that, make us clean and make us useful in God’s kingdom. Don’t let anyone, family or friend, hold you hostage to sins that Jesus died on the cross to release you from!

If you find yourself “watering down” your walk with Christ around certain family members or friends so that you don’t “offend” them or that they won’t “tease” you, you may need to shorten your time around them. We should never place so much value on ANY relationship that it causes us to alter our relationship with Christ.

Just as Jesus pointed out, those who are doing the work of the Father are His family….God knows how to place people (His family) in your life that will encourage and edify you as you continue to do God’s work, whether it be someone at your local church, cashier at the grocery store, a Facebook friend, a follower on Twitter or even some tumblr.com post!

So…this means I’m invited to YOUR family reunion, right? :-) 

P.S.- Surround yourself with people who show you Godly love and encourage you in the things of Christ!

(originally posted: March 21, 2011)