“A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.”
Chuck Swindoll
I watched a family of geese communicate their next action. They stopped eating and flew as a group in the same direction. There was protection when instead of each goose doing their own thing, they worked together as a corporate one. When geese fly in their “V” formation, they each have a different position in flight. This gives them a distinct perspective on their surroundings, which guards them from attack; when left alone, they are vulnerable. Likewise, our biological family and our families of God are to provide safety and security.
Healthy families communicate with each other. They share their hearts, feelings, struggles, successes and the lies they believe, in order to be known and supported. Like the family of geese, we are to have each other’s backs. We press through our disagreements and differences of opinion for the sake of unity. It’s no fun doing life alone and families meet our need for connection, belonging and unconditional love and acceptance.
Each person in a family unit, small group or church have a unique viewpoint, such as a specific awareness of who God is in their lives. Because of our various experiences, different aspects of God’s nature are highlighted. What one person might not have experienced, another person has. These roles or positions are for the purpose of encouragement to the whole body.
Families are comprised of people who possess different passions and beliefs. But like individual pieces of a puzzle, when combined they make a whole picture. Ephesians 5:21 is the glue to binding each person to one another in unity. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
The small group I’m a part of is healthy because we defer to one another. Even though there are various ages and people in different positions and stages of life, we humble ourselves and yield to each other. The authority may change from meeting to meeting but because there’s submission, there’s unity in the corporate whole. It’s in the context of yielding to one another that relational intimacy thrives. Families are places of refuge and witnesses to the world of our oneness in Christ.
“Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.”
Relevant Reflection:
Describe a thriving family you’ve been a part of. What made it relationally healthy?
No post next week due to Labor Day. Enjoy your day off with family and friends.