Blood Relatives

Recently I went shopping with a precious young woman who is a co-worker and also a very special friend. As I chatted with a saleswoman while my friend was in the dressing room, the saleswoman asked, "Is she your daughter?" I laughed and said, "No, we're just friends." As I thought about that later, I asked myself, "Why do we say 'just' friends, as if that were not very important?"

The truth is, this young woman is not only my friend, but also my sister in Christ. In some ways, the ties between us are even stronger than those of "blood" relationship. The relationship between myself and my family is one of human blood, but the relationship between myself and the body of Christ is one of blood, too – the blood of Christ. Could any bond be stronger than that?

God has put us into families, and I am thankful for that. I love and appreciate the members of my family. And, thank God, some of them are also related to me by the blood of Christ – they are my sisters and brothers in Christ as well as being my son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, aunt, or whatever.

God teaches us to honor our families, and take care of them. In some, the desire to be good parents and the zeal to reclaim “family values” comes very close to idolatry. We may almost worship our family, while neglecting or even excluding others. We must also honor and care for those who are of the household of faith…they are our family, too, through the blood of Jesus.

Just friends? No, we are much more than that. We are each of us part of a single body…Christ’s body.

“Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters.” - Galatians 6:1