What's your definition of family?
Family is on all of our minds this holiday season. We're all trying to figure out how to safely spend time with family, if that's possible this year. Do you quarantine beforehand? What if you have to travel? How can we be sure that we're safe? How can we be sure we're keeping one another safe? Is it even possible to know what's truly safe this year? Some will make the hard choice not to see family this year.
Jesus was radically inclusive when it came to family. He indicates that there's nothing that's done or said that can't be forgiven -- he's willing to include all, even offering forgiveness to the ones who were crucifying him. All of those who showed up to hear him teach -- they were included in his definition of family. Jesus welcomed all, inviting them into a family that was defined by God's grace and mercy, nothing else.
May we give thanks to God for the way God welcomes us into God's family, and may we extend that same grace to others -- to welcome them into our family, to extend hospitality and love to those in our lives that may not be related to us but are still invited to gather with us as family to celebrate the joys in life and to strengthen one another when we encounter challenges and low spots in life.
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