Family...

Family can be some of the most blessed people we have in our lives. They can also be some the most heart crushing. Over the years of counseling, I have witnessed some of the most heart breaking situations with family. One thing that really stands out is how children, who are hurt and torn by one or both of their parents, still reach out for the love and acceptance of that parent(s). It never ceases to amaze me. God created this love within each of us. You see it in children that have been adopted, somewhere in their life, they have a longing to know who their natural born parents were. I have witnessed a parent(s) that sin becomes so much of their life that they loose their natural affection for their children (II Tim. 3:3 - word "unloving" means without natural affection). What a heart break!

There is something else we need to be aware of when it comes to family. The lost world does not care but those of us tied to Jesus should be really concerned, and that is the salvation of our family. I have preached over the years that if you accomplish nothing more on this earth than your family being saved, you have accomplished a great thing. That means we must love Jesus more than our family. He died my death. He gave Himself so I could live eternally. What love! What devotion! What a Father we have, the Creator and Sustainer of this whole universe. Our Shield and Defender, who upholds us and cares deeply for us. Jesus said it this way, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." (Matt. 10:37) I love my family but I will say this, I love my Lord and Savior more. In order to save our family, we must put Jesus first. So many will not stand up for Jesus when it comes to family. They will participate in things that are not Christ-like in their family, refusing to say 'no' because they do not want to hurt their family members. I know the pull can be great, but if we have really come into salvation and eternal life, do we want our family to share in the same? That means we have to stand for something, having some convictions about our faith in Jesus because our family members who are in sin are going to pay a horrible, hurtful price in the end. If we really love our family, we will do whatever it takes to help them and that means we need to stand for righteousness! How else are they going to see Jesus? It might make them mad, or they may try to 'guilt' you into coming to their side, but eternal life is far too important. "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (II Tim. 3:12) Our own family may come down hard on us, but we need to live godly lives before them to help them see their own sinfulness in order to be saved. If we love our family more than Jesus, we do not have Jesus no matter what anyone says! Those are His words.

I love my family. I have taught for many years to my own that I do not care if they never have a high paying job, or live in an expensive house, or own much of the world's goods as those things are not a high priority in our lives. But if any of them walked away from the Lord, embraced sin and sinful practices, they would kill their father! I love my family and I want them in heaven and that means I will teach and do whatever it takes, even if it means to withdraw from them if they are involved in sinful things. Would it hurt? Oh, yes but to love my family means I love their souls more than anything else. I cannot let natural affections take priority over eternal things. If we love our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters more than the Lord, we do not love the Lord nor the souls of our family. Now that is something to think about!