The holidays bring about a lot of commotion. A lot of visiting, a lot of hugs, and a lot of conversing about how the last year has been. In my situation, which I admit is somewhat unique, my experience around the holidays seems to be less abundant than that of most others. The reasons for this are many. To put it simply, my family is not family. I do not have blood parents to go home to, I go home to my friends parents' home. And his family is my family. Though we are not blood, we have become blood. But my family is even more than just these who have 'adopted' me. My family is greater.
I believe there is a misunderstanding about family. What it is, what it isn't, who it is, and isn't. Maybe there isn't a misunderstanding, maybe I am the only one who has misunderstood it's meaning all these years, nevertheless I desire to discuss it.
Growing up, the phrase blood is thicker than water repeats itself in the memory of my ears like a resounding record. It seems to be one of the foundational principles that feeds the american world view which implies that me and my family are most important while others and God take second and third place. Now is this the right
view to hold? I would disagree, though I do believe family is important, I do not, nor will I ever, believe that anyone shall come before God. Because, if we agree that there is a God, no matter what his characteristics are, He is God, thus higher and greater than I, therefore worthy of praise. That being said I do believe God has perfect character, and that He loves you and I more than we can know living our lives; which makes him even more worthy of being first. Though I digress, family is incredibly important.
BUT, I am not convinced that the common view and definition of family is the same as the definition and meaning that I tack on to the word. You see for me, family is much more than simply blood relation. In some cases the blood that is supposed to hold us so close, does not. In fact, our common blood sometimes repels us from each other. I do think that blood is the glue that holds us together, but not in the physical. It is not physical blood, not the genealogical blood line that makes us family. It is the spiritual blood, the blood that comes from sacrifice that comes from love, true love. Don't you see that family is so much greater than simply the people who share a common ancestry. I have friends that are much more than just friends, they are
family. And I have 'family' that are so far removed from me, that I can hardly call them friends.
Who is my family?
The people who I share life with. Those I live with, those I argue with, those I cook next to, those I study with, those who invest in me, and those I invest in, those who take care of me, and those I try to take care of; men and women with different faces, different skin tones, different hair, and different blood relations yet we share life together because of love. And after all, love results from sacrifice, and sacrifice results blood. The true, sacrificial, loving blood that holds together our family.
"Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
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