Devotion
Who is My Mother, Sister, Brother?
Frances Taylor

Sometimes preachers use this text to question whether or not Jesus has siblings, but I think they miss the point of the text. Jesus looks at the people gathered around him, listening to his message, and says that the one who does the will of God is mother, brother and sister to him. The important thing is that he includes us in that as long as we do the will of God. In another part of the Bible, we are called adopted children of God, again being described as the brothers and sisters of Jesus. The key here is doing the will of God. This can be a stumbling block for us. What does it mean to do the will of God? Do we ever ask God to show us the path he wants us to take? Do we ask for guidance when we have an important decision to make? Do we ask for help when faced with temptations? We know that the commandments provide guidance and we have the Beatitudes to give us further instruction, but do we pay attention to them? Many times I know that I don't. I just go along my own way and then wonder when things don't turn out the way I want! This is especially true when I am not as considerate of others as I know I should be. I say I want justice but don't always let my action follow my words. How about you?

Prayer

Lord, I claim you as my brother as I try to follow the will of God. Help me to truly allow you to lead me on the path to righteousness. Be with me along the way. Amen.