Caring Family
Scripture Reading — Luke 8:19-21
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Luke 8:21
When I emigrated from Korea to the United States, I missed my homeland terribly. When I would see a Korean Air jet, my eyes would well up with tears. I wanted to go home!
I’m sure other recent immigrants can identify with those feelings. Moving to another location within the same country can also create feelings of homesickness. People who move often miss familiar things about their home and the area they grew up in—especially the family members who love them.
Jesus must have felt a responsibility toward his earthly family. He grew up in Nazareth and worked as a carpenter there till the age of 30, probably to care for his mother and siblings after his father died. Families matter. As Paul says in 1 Timothy 5:8, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Yet Jesus says something surprising in our text: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” For Jesus, the family of God transcends human families. All who have faith in Christ are part of God’s family.
As followers of Jesus, we must care for our physical families. And part of that care is to be part of God’s family through faith in Jesus. The resources that Jesus provides help us treat everyone in our circle of fellowship with the love of Christ.
Father, we thank you for our families and especially for the family of God. Help us to include others as members of your family too. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Jang Ho Park
Jang Ho Park is a pastor in Tacoma, Washington. He and his wife, Jong Boon, have two sons.
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