By: Laymond Meredith

When asked, most would say we love our parents or our children and grandchildren more than anything. It is hard for most to name anything they love more than family. Of course there are going to be those even in the most loving and tight nit families that have to have their own way in any and all situations. They are going to always resist things that do not agree with their way of life, and things they can not explain. And the all knowing God knew this when he sent his only son to do a very difficult job here on this earth.

Mt:15:4: For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Mt:19:19: Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Although he came preaching love your family and your neighbors, look at what Jesus said his coming would do. Mt:10:35: For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36: And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Jesus being who he is knew that there would be those in a family who would accept the word of God and those who would not and fight against any change, those who would not confess sins and never repent, there would be those who would try to get brothers and sisters mothers and fathers who do accept Jesus as the redeemer to deny him. There would be those in a family that would be influenced more by worldly things and events, the actions of Satan over the teachings of Jesus. Those who would be influenced by money as their god. Family members set at variance with one against the other.

There are families known to me where there are no discussions about religion because the differences are so great that it causes dissention and hurt that is hard to get over. We should never get involved in a religious argument but we should never give up completely on our brother, we are responsible for our brother's spiritual growth, but we can never deny our Lord in order to appease our brother.

Mt:19:29: And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

If we love and trust Jesus enough to forsake all else we will reap the rewards. Mk:3:35: For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. We are given a very good and noteworthy example of Jesus’ trust in his spiritual brother over his earthly brother. While Jesus hangs on the cross there was a decision still to be made even at the point of death. Jn:19:26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27: Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Here we see Jesus give his trusted spiritual brother to his mother as a son. And we see him give his own mother to John as a mother in spirit.

Mt:13:55: Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? Why did he do this when he had brothers born of his mother, whom he knew would take care of their own mother’s physical needs, she most likely would not need for anything. --- Except spiritual needs, which his own brothers were not capable of giving. They later became believers that their older brother was truly the Son of God. I wonder if he knew that if he gave the spiritual care of their mother over to John that it might bring them to repent.