Families Really Matter

Trafford Fischer

Some time ago Bill Baker of London married Edna Harvey. Edna happened to be Bill's granddaughter's husband's mother. That was pretty confusing for Baker's granddaughter, Lynn. She said, "My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my step-father-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. I'm now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins."

Aren't family's fun? Irrespective of our marital status - single, married, divorced or widowed - we're all part of a family somewhere! We all have the walls of our homes, or at least the fridge door, visually declaring the fruit of the various branch - connections of our family tree.

We've got a photo of mum and dad, brother Jack and sister Sue, grandma and pop, aunty Helen and uncle John, second cousins Tony and Alicia - they're all there! On the fridge! (And I've noticed that certain members in faith communities love to check with you as to where you sit on your family tree and who else sits on the same branch! Have you noticed that? You're new to a church, or you're visiting, and after checking your name, they'll say, "now is your dad John, and your mum . . now what was her name? Ah yes, of course . . I remember you, when you were still in nappies! Don't you love that?)

God's ideal for us as His people is "family". Notice this incredible verse: "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68:5,6b*.

"It's not good that people should be alone!" God designed families so all of us could experience acceptance and learn to give and receive love. Family is the place to discover who we are and where we belong.

*All Bible quotations are from the New International Version.

Find out more about Adventist Family Ministries.