How To Be Family

REFERENCE: I Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters.  Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

Observation: The church of Jesus Christ, His followers together, are to be a family, a community. How is this family/community supposed to stay healthy and functional?

Peter reminds us to be "of one mind". In other words, the foundation of our relationship is to remember that we have a common mission and purpose. It is so easy for the church to get waylaid by controversy and disagreement about so many things that simply do not matter. Periferal doctrines divide us, common mission and vision unite us. We are to be, together, the Body of Christ. The world needs to know that God loves them and wants to intervene in their lives in a life-giving way. Our mission is to allow Christ to do accomplish this through us. This purpose is what glues us together.

That term "sympathize" is so important. It means so much more than simply to feel sorry for someone--it is to have "similar" feelings with them, to be able to stand in thier shoes and feel things from their perspective. It is the true definition of God's kind of love.

To live like this requires humility; a belief that my life and concerns are not inherently more important than someone elses. This attitude allows us to give our life and time away to others.

Finally, our common life and love for each other requires a commitment to non retributional response to the provocation of others. When hated, we are to love. When rejected, we are called to accept. When insulted, we have the chance to bless.

It is in living like this that we can show to the world an example of a community of people that are truly living differently. We can represent a hope for a different kind of life, a kind of life that many hearts are desparetly looking for. The Church can truly be the hope of the world.

Application/Confession: I find myself, especially with my family, being reactive and retalitory when I am insulted. I want to respond differently. I want to respond with love and understanding.

PRAYER: Lord, please cause Your love to flow through me to the extent that I truly respond with love when insulted.