The Ties that Bind

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 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! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:31–35
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The Ties that Bind
The old saying, “Blood is thicker than water,” relays the idea that no matter what, we are to stay loyal to our family. And in many cases this is good and sound advice, but not in all. Loyalty to God takes precedence over loyalty to blood relatives. This is still hard to hear today, as the temptation to put relationships with family and friends above God can be overwhelming. But this is not an either-or proposition. The Lord wants us to have both relationships and have them as healthy as they can be. He stands first in our lives because He placed Himself last to humbly bear our sins and make us children of God. For this, we give thanks to Him for the privilege of being included in His eternal family. May the Holy Spirit keep us in this faith and life forever.