Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.  A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.  Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:31-35).

When I was in college, I felt called to go to the mission field. In my case, that meant that I would need to leave my family and move overseas. Some family members confronted me about this decision. They believed it was wrong for me to leave my family and that I shouldn’t go. This put me in a difficult situation because I had to choose between what my family desired versus what I felt God wanted me to do. 

Jesus loves family.  He created Eve for Adam saying that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18) One of the Ten Commandments even says to honor your mother and father (Exodus 20:12). Jesus loved and honored his own earthly family too. That’s why his response about family in Mark chapter 3 is a little confusing. 

When a group of people were sitting around him talking about how his mother and brothers were outside looking for him, he responded, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”  I don’t think he was discounting his earthly family, but rather he was using the situation as a teachable moment. He wanted to teach those listening that there was something more important than our biological families.

I think there are times when you may have to decide between obeying God or making your family happy. I think that Jesus is telling us to prioritize Him and follow His will. Our biological families are meant to be a gift to fulfill God’s purposes on Earth. But ultimately, God is creating a permanent family—Christ and the Church—that will last forever.  

I did end up deciding to leave my family to go on the mission field because I really felt that was the path that God wanted me to take.  I served there for over 20 years but still cared about my family back home. I visited often, called, and even moved back when my mom could no longer care for herself. 

It’s evident that Jesus prioritized spiritual family over biological ties, emphasizing the importance of doing God’s will. While earthly families are cherished gifts, our ultimate fulfillment lies in God’s eternal plan and the community of believers, which transcends earthly relationships and points us toward the Kingdom of God.

Dear God, thank you for our families here on earth; they mean the world to us. Please help us remember that while they’re precious, the most important thing is following your plan and being part of your forever family.  Please guide us in loving each other and building community with others who love you too. Amen.