What is a family?

“While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? Pointing to His disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
~Matthew12:46-50

I don’t know how many times this scripture has been read in the Bible; but I know the point revealed here has been missed by many who read it: Jesus redefined family. He gave us a new yardstick for deciding who is family and who is not.

You can choose to either build a family according to tradition, or according to Jesus. As a child of God, you should ask yourself, ‘What is a family according to Jesus?

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
~John 14:6

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Thus, no one can experience the reality of God except through Jesus. Adopting the paradigm of Jesus is essential to having a successful walk with God.

Furthermore, the Bible tells us to :

“… fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…”
~Hebrews 12:2

Jesus is your role model, if you are a child of God. The writer of Hebrews reminds us to observe Jesus and to walk in His ways. When building your family, you should build it according to Jesus’ definition. The basis for building your family should not be according to your own ideas, the culture of your community, or the tradition of your tribe; but according to the revelation of Jesus Christ.