Articles
“The Blessings of Family”
Having a family isn’t something to take for granted, though we often do. Sure, there are plenty of things to gripe about and nitpick concerning our relations, but if we took more time to appreciate them our quibbles would soon dissolve into prayers of thanksgiving.
Since the beginning, God instituted the family as the cornerstone of society. But the concept of family extends beyond our earthly ties to include our spiritual family—those with whom we have fellowship in Christ. Let’s explore three dimensions of family, each with their own blessings.
Our physical family — Family begins with marriage, the most intimate human bond we can experience. It is a blessing to have another who corresponds to you, who shares your essential nature as an equal image bearer of God but who is also distinct from you in complimentary ways (Gen. 2:18-24). Having a constant companion with whom to laugh and mourn with, to work and relax with, to delight in, to lean on, to build up, to listen to or even just to fold laundry with is a spectacular gift of God! (Prov. 18:22; 31:10-12; Ecc. 4:9-12; Eph. 5:22-33)
And what joy, purpose and wonder children bring to the lives of their parents! As “a heritage from the Lord” (Psa. 127), children require the most diligent care from their parents (Eph. 6:4) but parenting teaches us valuable lessons in self-sacrifice, unconditional love, patience, forgiveness and, perhaps most of all, humility—lessons which all have their Christian analogues and deepen our gratitude for our heavenly Father. God teaches us our need for authority through our parents (Eph. 6:1-3). Where would we be without their care when we were vulnerable, their sacrifice for our benefit, their loving discipline for our development and their patient encouragement and instruction (Prov. 22:6)? Space does not permit all the reasons parents deserve our enduring honor and respect (Ex. 20:12).
Those of us who have siblings know what a special relationship that can be. Though having siblings presents many challenges in the home, they can also provide a structure of safety and an environment for growth, with the older serving and leading the younger. The blessings of having brothers and sisters really bloom in our adulthood when siblings reconnect as mature individuals in their own right.
No family is perfect—and they can often be tragic—but given the biblical ideal, the family can provide a context where love is expressed, values are instilled and faith can be passed down from one generation to another (2 Tim. 1:5; Deut. 6:6-7). The various family roles reflect God’s multifaceted design for the flourishing of our character and the shaping of our future.
Our spiritual family — Becoming a Christian introduces an even greater joy than a physical family. In Christ, we become part of a spiritual family that transcends biological ties. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1; also Gal. 3:26). In “the household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15), we inherit spiritual siblings who have our backs and build us up. We are adopted by spiritual parents who nurture and guide us (1 Tim. 5:1-2). We may even adopt spiritual children of our own through teaching them the gospel (1 Tim. 1:2). The church functions like a family as we support each other, share what we have and meet each other’s needs (Acts 2:42-47).
The church family is, perhaps, especially meaningful to those whose physical family did not offer them the sense of belonging and love that it ought to have. Jesus once said, “whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mk. 3:35) He was in no way diminishing the value of the physical family (on the contrary, he was deeply concerned with family matters [Jn. 19:26]). Rather, he was teaching that those with a common faith share an even deeper connection than blood relations. All Christians can attest to this; how easy it is to connect with saints you’ve just met due to sharing that most important common denominator, faith.
When physical family is also spiritual family — The greatest blessing of all is when our physical family is also part of our spiritual family. When our spouse, parents, children and/or siblings are Christians, the household becomes a microcosm of the church—a place where the gospel is lived out in the daily rhythms of life by every member. Many Christians never get to experience this double-blessing, and their love for their physical family compels them to make petitions to God for them and to persuade them of the truth. Jesus’ own brothers did not accept him at first (Jn. 7:5). This missing link with our blood relatives can be a source of constant anguish. I pray that those saints who have Christians in their family would truly appreciate the gift that they have been given! Thanks be to God when we share our faith with our physical family. Thanks be to God for his church.
