Who is my brother?

"Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.(Mt. 12:44-49)"

I was in service on Sunday, and we were singing a song with the lines, show me your glory. I started thinking, what does that mean. A lot of songs and prayers contain petitions pleading with God to show us His glory. We talk of Moses descending from Mt. Sinai with his face aglow and Saul falling down as dead when he was confronted with the glory. But today, what is it? Moses led all of Israel, served as priest between Almighty God and a stubborn people. Saul persecuted countless Christians under zealous sincerity to his religion. I would not want Moses' responsibility or burden, I would not want to know that what I knew categorically was right was actually wrong and that I had persecuted the very God I knew I was serving. That's what glory comes from. What are we asking for? I stopped singing and started asking. Lord, what is your glory. I don't want to ask for what I don't know. After a while, faces of people I loved flashed before my minds eye, then faces of the children I watch. Next were faces of people I come across daily, but don't know, then acquaintances, then people I'm not fond of, then people I will avoid by scurrying down the next isle in the grocery store before they recognize me. Don't laugh, we all do it. Immediately, the quote from Matthew 12 came to mind. "Who are my mother and my brothers?" It was as if God was saying to me, this is my glory. It's all around you, you just don't see it.

Next, an amazing thing happened. It was as if He was reaching out to me, saying this. You are my mother, my sister, my brother. Translated, you are my family. This is true. He is a father, but the word brother or sister has a more familiar ring to it. I thought of the time when Jesus asked those who listened to the parable of the good Samaritan, "Who is your neighbor?" He was saying to me, "Take it a step further." Don't ask, who is my neighbor, but who is my brother. If I accept that I am part of the family of God, if I accept that he reaches out to me as a brother, than how can I not reach out to others in the same way?

Living in the south, I have learned something of the nature of family. It is defined differently here than we Yankees would define it. Here, blood is thicker than water. It is difficult to assimilate new members into the family. Even one who marries into a family will try for years before they are accepted. I know. My husband's family was reluctant to even let me into the family portrait for the first several years. But now, I am family, for better or for worse. I have brothers and sisters that I thank God for every day. For all their shortcomings, and all of mine, we are bonded by a pledge I took with their younger brother, my wonderful husband. They are there, they are consistent, and would give me the shirt off their back if I needed it. They will take my side whether I am wrong or not. That's an amazing thing to experience, and something I would never take advantage of. We have walked through many things together, and I have not appreciated them enough. This happens mainly because of the proximity to one another. Most of the family is still in the same county, and see each other weekly and some talk daily.

I am intimidated easily. I feel as if I am intruding when I visit a friend, or call a brother of mine, or solicit help from my pastor. It is not them, but something in me. However, during this worship service, I felt as if God was saying to me, "these people are your family." That is His glory, that those in my life are a gift to me. He did qualify it with, "whosoever shall do the will of my Father...the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." What is the will of the Father. It is broken down in this, to love the Lord with all your mind, soul, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Shorten the distance between you and your loved ones, and the not so loved ones. This doesn't mean we should ignore shortcomings, reward hurtful behavior, or reinforce bad habits, but it does mean we should remain present. For me, this means not assuming I am a nuisance, but creating a place for them in my life and being present enough to allow them to create a space for me in theirs. If I am offended with anyone in my family, it doesn't change the fact that they are my family. Whether we heal the breach or stop talking, they are still family. Likewise, those who God calls family are still family, no matter what, and those He's given to me are still part of His family and thus mine. (read John 17 and prayer for people in your life with the same veracity and see what happens.)

The people in our lives are vessels of God's glory. They are His creation and have a specific purpose. Get to know them, pray for them, gird them up with encouragement and acts of kindness. Speak the truth, remain present no matter their reaction. Make yourself vulnerable to them (use wisdom), allow them to speak the truth to you. Make time for them. Look them in the eye, give hugs, be liberal with affectionate phrases. Don't be discouraged if they don't let you in their picture right away, but make room in yours for them.