Jesus and Chosen Family

Jesus had chosen family. He aligned himself so closely with people that he considered them family and called them such. In fact, in John 15 he says to his closest friends, “I chose you…”

And then there’s this doozy - remember when Jesus showed disrespect for his biological family (a big no-no in the Ancient Near East culture):

“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” - Matthew 12: 48-50

Sure, he stayed connected to his family (one of his brothers was a key leader in the early church; his mother was with him til the day he died; etc.). But there’s no doubting that he really leaned hard on this idea of chosen family.

Some things to consider talking with God about today.

• How do you know when you have a healthy chosen family and when not?

• How might God be calling you to be better chosen family to someone?

• Are there ways you’ve avoided conflict (particularly with your biological family)?

• What can you give thanks for about the families God has given you?