Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today, let’s close this week’s family theme with the recognition that we actually choose our family.

Today’s scripture, Ruth 1:15-18 (NLT), shares…
[15] “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” [16] But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. [17] Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” [18] When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.

Consider…
I have often heard the phrase you can’t choose your family, which means your family of origin — the family you were born or adopted into or the people who raised you and your siblings (if you have any). Family of origin can also include extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

However, that doesn’t align with Matthew 12:47-50 (NLT) which reveals…
[47] Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.” [48] Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” [49] Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. [50] Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

We know that Jesus wasn’t being disrespectful of the earthly family to which He was born and raised. But instead Jesus was making the point that when we choose to be our heavenly Father’s children, our spiritual family supercedes our physical one.

This makes me think of people who pledge fraternities and sororities. Although I never pledge, I do know people that have and witnessed a bond between line-brothers and line-sisters that was stronger than the natural family ties.

The fact is, as adults, we choose who we consider family.

I remember as a child my mother told me to call her best friends Aunt Bertha and Momma Lois (my Godmother). I also remember calling her stalwart sister-in-Christ, Aunt Erma. As I reflect on the titles she taught me to use for these three influential ladies in my life, I realize they were the sisters she chose to do life with. All three of these ladies played pivotal roles in me becoming the man that I am today.

When I read today’s scripture, I see how Ruth, who was Naomi’s daughter-in-law, chose to make her deceased husbands mom her family. This is especially special because Ruth grew up in a different place and with a different faith than Naomi. That means Naomi created such a strong maternal bond with Ruth, that Ruth wanted to remain connected despite becoming a widow. Something that adds to this life altering choice was the fact that during that era unmarried or widowed women were like second class citizens and at the mercy of a male dominated culture. That means Ruth chose to struggle with her chosen family rather than find a new one or return to the safety of her biological one.

Because Ruth chose to remain part of Naomi’s family, she met Boaz (Naomi’s cousin), and they were King David’s great grandparents.

There’s another significant factoid of Ruth’s family choice. Included in today’s verse 16, she tells Naomi, “your God will be my God.” Because Ruth chose Naomi’s God, she became part of His only begotten Son’s origin story.

This shows me that choosing to be part of God’s spiritual family is more important than clinging to our physical one. That’s because the shared beliefs, goals and common experiences help us become the people that God created us to be, and fulfill His purpose for us.

For example, while I love and adore my three siblings, I have three friends and a wife who are the closest people to me on this earth. They’re the ones I talk to regularly and share my deepest and most intimate thoughts with. What I appreciate most about, Ken, Greg, Tony and Dana is that they are also my siblings-in-Christ who inspire and help me grow in faith, obedience and the transformed biblical worldview that our Heavenly Father and big Brother Jesus birthed in me.

Each of them would tell you that I love talking about God more than anything, especially when it comes to sharing new ways He reveals Himself to us.

I remember when I went through my darkest wilderness suffering experience, it was these four, along with my beloved and faithful sister Renee, who walked with me through the valley of the shadow of death. They were the physical embodiment of the Good Shepherd’s rod and staff comforting me.

So I fully understand and resonate with Jesus’ point, that those who share faith in and obedience to the Heavenly Father are a believer’s true family.

The Holy Spirit is drilling in on this true family idea with me. He is guiding me to John 3:3-7 (NLT), which shares…
[3] Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” [4] “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” [5] Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. [6] Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. [7] So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

Please don’t misunderstand this post, I am in no way suggesting we should not love and appreciate our earthly family, LORD knows I love and adore mine, but instead I am acknowledging that our spiritual family must become the most important in our lives. This isn’t my opinion, it’s Jesus’ directive. He said in Luke 14:26 (NLT)…
[26] “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.

Therefore by comparison I love five chosen family members, the four named above plus my beloved sister, most because they faithfully help me grow as Christ’s disciple.

Based on this post, who is your spiritual chosen family?

My last thought as your brother-in-Christ comes from 1 Peter 1:22 (NLT), which explains…
[22] You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

Our Heavenly Father and big Brother Jesus want us to sincerely love our siblings-in-Christ. That requires us focusing on Christ who unites us instead of physical attributes that would divide us.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing that loving the spiritual family we chose when we accepted Christ is a requirement. 1 John 3:10-11 (NLT) explains…
[10] So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. [11] This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

So as we encounter fellow believers in Christ, let’s make sure we’re loving them like our big Brother Jesus chose to love us.

Today’s Song is…
Sisters And Brothers

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)