We Are Family

There is a song that is always requested whenever there is a family wedding.
My sister-in-law will always make sure it is played.
She and I have the same name; she is the original; I received the name by marriage.
Through the years, I was called by my first name and maiden name, to end the confusion.

The song she requests is, We are Family, popular back in the 80’s.
Whenever that song is played, every Gallagher must be on the dance floor.
At our nephew’s wedding last year, everyone did a sort of stroll dance to that song.
Two by two, down the line until the song ended.

That song was playing in my head today near the bananas at the grocery store.
I ran into a sweet couple from my church as we stood there near the produce.
I am not related to them by blood, but then again…I am!

Sing to God, sing praise to His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds, His name is the Lord, and rejoice before Him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. (Psalm 68:4-6)

When we dance to that song at a wedding, we are not all related by blood.
My husband and his siblings are, but the spouses are not.
We are family, with the same name, by marriage.

Jesus has a Bride; His Church.
We, who are in Christ, are related by blood…HIS blood that He shed on the cross for us.
We may be different colors; we may live on opposite sides of the world.
We are Blood relatives, with the same name, if we are in Him.
Christians.

We are family...
Everyone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie
All of the people around us they say
Can they be that close?
Just let me state for the record
We’re giving love in a family dose

Is that true for us as the Bride of Christ?
Are we giving love in a family dose?
How good are we doing with the loving part?

Years ago, our family was in Washington, DC for a few days.
We walked everywhere, which got to be a bit tiring for our youngest daughter.
Every day, as we came out of our hotel, there was a homeless man on the sidewalk.
He sat in his tattered clothes on a piece of cardboard.
He had a tin can in front of him for people to throw money inside.

Every day we passed, and every day I walked on.
I knew what he would do with the money, I self-righteously argued.
I had small children to think about.

How true.
Children whose eyes were watching for an example to follow.
Children who knew I loved the Lord Jesus.
Children who saw that I was not living out His love in a practical way.

I saw my little daughter fumbling through her tiny purse as we entered the lobby.
She held out a few coins in her hand…This is for the man.
She saw him every day but never said a word.
She saw me, too!
I did not love the way Jesus would love.

The next time we left our hotel, I surrendered to the Lord I serve.
I had money in my hand, and loving words of hope on my tongue.
We got outside; the sights and sounds of the city were all around me.

The man was gone.
By his own choice, or told to move on, I will never know.
I missed him; I was too late.

Too late to love the way I should.
Too late to do what any family member would do when someone is hurting.
Too late to make a difference.
Too late to tell him that Jesus loves him.

I have never forgotten that man and my lack of practical love.
I missed an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ to someone right in front of me.
I confessed to the Lord and to my children my lack of compassion.

How are we doing with the loving part?
We are the church, His Bride.
We are related by His blood if we are in Christ.

Are we giving love in a family dose?
Do people look at our lives and see HIS love lived out?

Love is one of the marks of being a Christian.
How good are we doing?

God sets the lonely in families.
That would be all of us at one time or another.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  (John 15:12)

 

 

 

2 responses to “We Are Family”

1. My son and daughter in law lived in an area where they were surrounded by homeless. They carried in the car with them can goods or Mc Donalds certificates or gift cards for fast food. When my granddaughter would see someone she say mommy stop that man needs a can good and she would pull the can out of the bag in front of her and hand him the can that had a zip top so it was easy to get open and eat immediately.

   How often we miss the opportunities the Lord puts in front of us. We are all guilty. Thanks for the reminder

   Reply

   • Carol,
     What a wonderful practical solution…giving food or gift certificates for a meal!
     God taught me much through that incident that I still carry with me all these years later.
     I miss you friend.
     Gina

     Reply