I cheated. I wrote this post ahead of time just in case I did not make it back home Wednesday and we decided to stay the night somewhere. Here were the thoughts I postponed from yesterday’s post to give an update on Janna.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CONSTITUTES A GOOD FAMILY?
Of course, the answers are many. Here are a few: Empathy. Sympathy. Teamwork with teammates. Honesty. Taking responsibility. Accepting responsibility. Forgiveness. Space to allow for mistakes. The freedom to make mistakes and admit them. Love (obviously). Faith. Prayers. Shared shoulders. And the list goes on.
Now…consider the church as a family. The very same characteristics of a blood family are also to be there for a different kind of blood family.
In Isaiah 1 the people of Judah were acting very “unfamily-like.” Their outward actions were blatant displays of disrespect. Yeah…that happens in real families. To put it very bluntly, their outward actions did not show the state of their heart. Or maybe they did?
How easy it is to put on a show at home and with our church family. Jesus said the religious leaders’ lips said one thing but their hearts were far from Him. It is called “going through the motions.” Family members do that. Church family members to that also. They act like they like you, but what they do and say behind your back hurts like fire.
Frankly, self-concern replaces other-concern. It destroys families. It devastates church families. Arguing and fighting, even over petty things, plays havoc on a family’s unity. It does the same for a church family.
Don’t be a “ruiner;” be a builder.
Sad, but true, Bill. Families and churches come apart at the seams when not sewn together with the love of Jesus. May all of us be mindful of the needs of others before satisfying our own.
Blessings!
Your last sentence is the key to the whole thing Martha. Being other-centered.
I work with and have a lot of meetings with Ireland. Ireland has two sayings they use all the time, that is brilliant, that is lovely. It always makes me smile when they say it. So when I read your post, I thought to myself, what if, everyone I saw I thought, what a brilliant creation Our Father has made, or you are so lovely in my Father’s eyes and mine. That attitude and gratefulness would change the perspective of every encounter.
You are right Gail. Gratefulness would change a lot of things. We would certainly complain a lot less!