Growing up, my siblings and I—like many,
many children over the years—had to do
chores. For some chores we were paid.
Cutting the grass, for instance, netted us five
dollars (if I recall correctly; I may be
embellishing that downwards …). For what it
is worth, the one I hated the most was picking
up sticks and pinecones (hey, Dad!). Most of
our chores, however, we were expected to do
simply because we lived there. That is, as
members of the family, there were certain
things that needed to happen, and we were
expected to take part in making them happen.
Stacy and I did the same thing with our boys.
Some chores were “paid” chores (like cutting
the grass, for which they got more than five
dollars, by the way—inflation and all). But,
most of their chores they were required to do
simply because they lived in the house.
Things needed to happen, and, as members
of the family, they were expected to take part
in making it happen. Being family is a great
blessing. It also carries with it great
responsibility.
In Jesus Christ, God has joined us
together as family. Our salvation through
Christ means not only that we are individually
blessed, but also that we are communally
blessed. As Kevin Billips stated so well last
Sunday during his communion presentation,
we are “stitched together” in Christ. We are
bound in the love of Jesus. We are rescued
and chosen and made holy. We are recreated
in Christ into a people, into a community of
faith. We are knit together as God’s church.
This is a beautiful, immeasurable outcome of
the great grace of God. It literally is impossible
to fully comprehend how miraculous this gift
is.
The gracious salvation that binds us
together also binds us to responsibility for
and to one another. “If one member
suffers, all suffer together; if one member
is honored, all rejoice together,” said Paul
to the Corinthian church. And to Ephesus,
“Let each one of you speak truth with his
neighbor, for we are members one of
another.” In other words, we share our grief
and our joy. Both are things that we
experience mutually and in community. We
also speak into one another’s lives for the
purpose of ensuring we all stay on the path
that leads us closer to God. We are called
to lovingly, truthfully, and courageously
address one another’s weaknesses,
shortcomings, and sins. This is in order
that we each become more like the Savior
we claim. This is also in order that we each
participate in making “the body grow so
that it builds itself up in love.”
We have responsibility for one another
simply because we “live in the house.” It
needs to happen. And, as members of the
family, we each are expected to be a part
of making it happen. Being family is a great
blessing. It also carries with it great
responsibility.
–Ricky