And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you." And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." – Mark 3:32-35 (ESV)
It is interesting to think of how Jesus defined His own family – those who do the will of God. While, yes, we are to have healthy relationships with our spouses, parents, children, and relatives, our true family are those who do the will of God. [How blessed it is when our ‘earthly’ family is a part of our true family!] We often forget that when we come to Christ, we receive a whole new set of brothers and sisters. For those who have lost or never had much family, for those who are estranged from their blood relations, this is a message of hope here on this earth – there is a set of people who are committed to you because now you have the same Father. Jesus offers true family to all who come to Him.
