Family members

Mark 3: 31 - 35

Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother

The next important celebration is round the corner. The traffic has increased even on weekends. I guess people are rushing about shopping for the Chinese New Year. The celebration is family oriented, and at times like this I see the advantage of belonging to a large family. I've not had the chance to go 'home' since my parents passed on over twenty years ago. Though, along the way, a couple of aunts and uncles do regularly try to include my brother and myself in their family gathering.

But it is a relief that as Christians we have another family to belong to - spiritual kinship that binds us with one another. Being Christian is much, much more than holding on to certain doctrines. It is first and foremost a relationship - one of love and communion with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.....and with all who belong to God as his children. We in the Christian fold are adopted sons and daughters of our Father, and brothers and sisters to one another. But this family has a different set of rules from the earthly one. This family is bonded together by the shared desire to do the will of God. We actually have people to share with us our heart's desire to follow Jesus. I wish though, that this important element of 'doing God's will' could be worked out more concretely in church. If only we could help one another discover God's unique will for us, and help one another seek God's guidance, rather than 'one size fits all' . Spirituality is so personal although there are universal Christian truths that we cannot compromise. Protestant spirituality has become rather bland, not much help for people who may not fit into the boxes that have been created, and yet who eagerly desire to live out God's unique plan for their lives. Anyway, it is good that Jesus did not spell out clearly what this 'will' is in specific terms. So I guess we can find our unique way, the way that God has for us that will best incarnate his love in our life situation.