Let’s Be Brothers and Sisters in Christ

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray saying, “Our Father”, He was announcing a new world to us who believed. We all had an earthly father, but God wanted to be our Heavenly Father. John 1:12 says more about our status of being brothers and sisters in Christ.

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

I have sisters, but my earthly parents passed away long ago. We siblings are friends though we would likely have not met if not for being in the same family. There is a certain bond between us despite us being so different.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ are much the same and can be more.

The Apostle Paul mentioned that he is a spiritual father to those he helped come to faith. Yet, far from Him having them call him father, he and the other apostles opposed people seeing then as something greater. They saw that we are all on the same level.

We are all sinners saved by the grace of our loving Heavenly Father. As His small children, He is always glad when we come to him to share our heart and life,

We shall not look up or down to anyone. In fact, only God knows who is really better or worse.

As Christians, we spread love to everyone and…

¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Yes, a family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ- Does it Have Any Traction?

Let me note one side topic. I once saw a Christian Chinese exchange student at a Christian college who had free housing for doing housekeeping of a Western family home. Their teenage daughter lost her necklace in her messy room, and the daughter blamed the Chinese student, and the mother backed her up her daughter. The Chinese student never wore jewelry or even make up.  The Chinese student had to move out, She had no place to stay. No Christian would give her housing help, but an atheist Chinese family did.

To me, this was shame on us.

Ethnicity went deeper than faith. Can we consider our lives before God at a deeper level? While Jesus told us to beware the wolves in the church, we cannot assume all are wolves and not help those in need among us. Why could no one offer her 7 days housing while she found another place?

Can we take care of each other and care for each other? God made us a family, let us be a family with  love in action. Can we further see others as our equals and nothing less or more? The Bible even asks us see see others as better then ourselves. May we have strength and humility to see others with God’s eyes, and not with our poor, biased, and limited sight.