Family Reunion

I’ve been to family reunions and “get togethers” a lot over the years. My Mom and Dad both have big families. My wife parents are connected to big families as well. I’ve seen family feuds and fusses too. I’ve been to family gatherings where you can cut the tension with a knife.  In fact, I remember a time as a teenager when I was at odds with one of my cousins over a girl that we were mutually interested in. Looking back, it was really stupid the way we both were behaving. I feel like I lost valuable time that could have been a continued friendship. The Psalmist speaks to getting along. Check this out….

1 It is good and pleasant

       when God’s people live together in peace!

 2 It is like perfumed oil poured on the priest’s head

       and running down his beard.

    It ran down Aaron’s beard

       and on to the collar of his robes.

 3 It is like the dew of Mount Hermon

       falling on the hills of Jerusalem.

    There the Lord gives his blessing

       of life forever. (Psalm 133:1-3 NCV)

 Churches are like family too. I’ve been to churches where the tension was pretty big too. There were more than a couple of “power brokers” looking for control. It can be unpleasant to be in the middle of this. God loves it when His people learn about His strongest characteristic – LOVE.  I believe that the church family is a place where we should be competing to love and serve as much as we are capable.  Instead, there is often competition for who can be the “biggest fish” in the small pond of people.  Jesus speaks to this very scenario. Check this out…

 25 Jesus called all the followers together and said, “You know that the rulers of the non-Jewish people love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority. 26 But it should not be that way among you. Whoever wants to become great among you must serve the rest of you like a servant.27 Whoever wants to become first among you must serve the rest of you like a slave. 28 In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people.” (Matthew 26:25-28 NCV)

 Serving in God’s kingdom is leadership. I don’t think we should look for titles that make us feel big in the worlds eyes, but we should look for new ways to serve – maybe even secretly, behind the scenes. The way Jesus defines greatness is the more important than anyone else’s definition. As far as it depends on me, I want to live at peace with every person in the family of God I know or meet.

 Pressing On!

Dwayne