Via TJC
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not dishonored except in his hometown and among his own relatives, and in his own household.” - Mark 6:4
In our discussion on commissioning this week, the role of our family hits a bit differently than the other groups to whom we are sent. This is because our immediate family is a group of people who, by birth or circumstance, we have already been commissioned into by God. There’s that old saying, “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” In His wisdom, God chose your family for you, and whether it was a wonderful experience or a difficult one, it functioned to develop you into who you are today.
I was the youngest of four children and greatly looked up to my brothers and sisters. Being the youngest, I got away with a lot more than they did at my age! There is a burden though to being the youngest. Your older brothers and sisters leave the house before you finish your development. Their perspective of you is often cemented in who you were then, when you really hadn’t yet discovered yourself, much less discovered Christ.
And when we discover Christ, we discover our true worth! We become grafted into a family who looks on us with His eyesight and loves us with His heart. It can be difficult then to go back to those in your immediate family who might lack that vision or the temperament towards you that your brothers and sisters in Christ possess.
The story of Jesus though is very much of a son who returned to his home, Israel, and was not welcomed. They did not recognize Him for who He was. We can go to our family members, and love them as they are, once we give up the hope that we will gain any new information about ourselves in that old place of self-discovery. We are now hidden in Christ, a new creation, and we have a fortune of love to share, even with those who might reject who we have become. There is intimacy with God waiting for us in that place of ministering to our family.
Daily Battle Order:
More than any other group we discuss this week, our actions say more to our family than our words. What action steps do you need to take this week to shine the light of Christ upon your family? Is there any lingering unforgiveness that impedes your ability to serve your family well? Ask the Lord how He sees any difficult members of your family. Once we have His perspective, it is much easier to administer His love.
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