Daily Devotion, August 5, 2020

Devotion: Read Mark 3:31-35.

As parents, we often realize that our children, at all ages, teach us more than we teach them. Some commentaries discuss the discourse between Jesus and his Mother and brothers, in this passage, as being harsh. Through the years I’ve read this story as a teaching moment for all.

There is a hymn from my childhood titled, “He Included Me”. The words of this hymn are based from John 3:16 and the word, “whosoever”. So when I read this Mark 3 passage, I imagine being in the room where Jesus is and I hear Jesus “including me” in his family.

And at the same time, I hear Jesus calling us to include others. I hear Jesus calling us to also broaden our definition of family to include more than just the people who look like us. Throughout Jesus’ lifetime, Jesus included people in the room and around his table that we might not have included.

We can grow toward faithful discipleship in hearing Jesus’ words, ‘Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’ And perhaps this was one of those moments that Jesus’ immediate family grew in their faithful discipleship, too. We all have the tendency to keep our love narrow and the way we grow in faith is to allow God to broaden our love for all people. But Mary is also our inspiration. Mary knew what it was like to be on the outside and to be the subject of ridicule and rejection, but she remained faithful to do the will of God.

Today’s passage is well-illustrated in a scene from the movie, “Remember the Titans”. The movie is based on a true story about Coach Herman Boone, and his attempt to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. Gerry Bertier, is one of the athletes who is white, and is in an automobile accident. He is in the hospital, paralyzed. Julius Campbell, another athlete who is black, stops by the hospital to visit Gerry. The nurse tells Julius that only family members are allowed to visit. Then immediately Gerry says, “Alice, are you blind? Don’t you see the family resemblance?” Personal Worship Option: Thank you Jesus for including us all in your family. Forgive us when we don’t see the family resemblance in others. Open our eyes and heart to see and do your will to convey your love to all people. Amen.