Today you get a break from Pastor Curtis' voice and get to read another devotional from Taryn Flake.

Scripture: Mark 3:20-34
Family
In the passage today, we first hear about Jesus’ family in verse 21. His family was coming to stop Jesus because they thought He was “out of His mind.” The teachers of the law get to Jesus before His family does. He logically explains how He can’t be from Satan if He is driving out demons.
Jesus’ family, His mother and brothers, come along in verse 31. The place is so crowded, they have to send a messenger in to let Him know they were there to see Him. Jesus questions in verse 33, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” and declares in verses 34 and 35 that those around Him and whoever does the will of God are His relatives.
I, for one, have always taken offense at hearing this passage. How would my sister, mother, father, husband, or daughters feel if they walked into church and I denied being related to them or pointed to the other members of our congregation and declared that they were my family members instead? I can remember a time or two growing up where I longed for my family to adopt my best friend and leave my sister with another family!
As with many passages, I don’t think that Jesus’ goal is for us to take offense. I think He is turning the family paradigm on its head. Just think about the passage from Acts 2:45-46, “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” The early believers acted as a family. There were likely many families coming together as one congregation. They even called one another “Brother” or “Sister.”
I’m wondering how we can embody this structure that the early believers had to act as a surrogate family to one another in our congregation. I don’t think that we need to disown our family members in doing this, but our neighbors, congregational members, and fellow Sunday School attendees can become like family to us. We share parts of our lives, we are there for each other, and we hold one another up in prayer.
What would life look like if we treated one another like family? Would we be quicker to offer a guest room for a night? Would we be quicker to offer our extra clothes, housewares, and toys to our family who we find in need? Would we more easily invite others over to our homes to share a cup of coffee, a meal, or just each other’s company?
My challenge for you this day is to look around you and find those whom you can treat as a member of your family, a member of God’s family. Take a minute to step out of your comfort zone and offer someone some radical hospitality today, as you would for any member of your family.
Questions:
What resources are available for you to share with those who are a part of your life right now? If you can’t think of any, pray for God’s discernment in what He would have you give and who to give it to.
How can you show hospitality to someone in your life? How would that require you to step out of your comfort zone?
Prayer:
Dear God, Please show me who I can give more of my time, money, or items to who is around me. Let me treat others in our congregation as members of our family. Open up my heart to new relationships within our church and beyond. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Stay Connected: If you would like to receive daily devotional updates in you email just subscribe (Subscribe click here).
Comments