How big is my family? 4)

As we embrace this other family we remember that families can be great to belong to.  Jesus died to bring people together in the deepest way possible. We are related through his blood.  The church should be unlike any other group in the world because when you obey God and know his love in Jesus, you belong to a family of brothers and sisters without barriers. Age, gender, able-bodied, disabled, ethnicity, social standing, education, wealth.....all and more, broken down in the family of Jesus. WOW.   In the service I asked Carol to say something about her experience of finding her heavenly Father and belonging to a church family when she was left on her own because of her mother's death.  And what a difference belonging to God's family has made in her life.  (Carol wasn't sure she was going to share. We had left it open. But as I went to speak she whispered that she felt she should.  And it proved a pivotal testimony!)

But it is also true that families can be complicated to belong to.  We didn't choose each other. What an assortment of different people we are.  We should prefer to draw a circle around people like us. To be able to ignore others. To make our family small.  Thinking about the Baptist family earlier in that service is demanding enough. Really to work on relationships, to hold in prayer, to give support to people in other churches. But that is only the simplest stage of expanding our horizon.  How many others, belonging to God, are our brothers and sisters?   I chose another Scripture with our family responsibilities in mind.  Therefore, as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers (Gal. 6:7).

So, that question: How big is my family? crystallizes a profound challenge for each of us.  Doesn't it? I think it takes a lifetime to work through the implications for my two families - beginning at home and in my local church.