all eyes on jesus | redefining family

Mark gives us insight into how Jesus' own family perceived him during his earthly ministry and offers a unique perspective on the challenges that can arise when those closest to us grapple with understanding and accepting our calling.

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family[a] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:20-22 and 31-34, NIV

We find Jesus surrounded by a crowd, teaching and healing. Word of his activities reaches his family, prompting them to come and "take charge of him" because they thought he was "out of his mind." This reaction reflects the difficulty Jesus' family had in understanding both him and his radical ministry.

This episode invites us to reflect on our own experiences when pursuing God's calling and consider if others might see our thoughts and actions as unconventional or challenging. Like Jesus, some of us may have faced situations where our commitment to what the Father has asked us to do has elicited concern, misunderstanding, even jealousy because we have put the Lord before other people.

Jesus responds by broadening the definition of family to encompass those who share a common commitment to the Father and invites us to become a people whose shared obedience is one of the things that unites us. We can find comfort in the truth that the Father is committed to setting the lonely in families as we navigate the tension between our calling and others’ expectations.

And, of course, regardless of our own experience, we can embrace others who feel misunderstood or outcast because of their love for Jesus. There is room for mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, uncles, aunts, second-cousins-twice-removed and many others in the family of God's people we belong to.

Let's pray
Lord Jesus, help me to extend your grace to those who don’t understand why I love you and why I want to serve you. Help me bring unity to my family even as I remain steadfast in my commitment to follow you and put you first. Thank you for the spiritual family you have placed me in. May I never cease to be grateful for my people. Amen.