The Church: The Family of GodSample

When a baby is born, you’ll often hear people say things like, “She has her mother’s eyes,” or “That’s his father’s nose.” As they grow up, parents might notice that their children copy the things they say (the good and the bad) and share family traits, like a loud laugh, a talent for a sport, or a particular way of speaking.

Those family traits in our earthly families help us understand the kinds of traits we should all reflect in God’s family, the church. As brothers and sisters, we should all start to think, talk, and act in a way that resembles our heavenly Father. And just as people can point out how we resemble our biological families, the world should notice how the community of the church resembles our Father in heaven.

Will our church family live out these traits perfectly? Not yet. Until Jesus returns to defeat sin completely, we will fall short on an individual level and collectively as a church. But even our failures are opportunities for us to show love to one another.

Read: Galatians 5:22-25

Reflection Questions:

• Reread this passage. Who is the source of these character traits in our lives? Take some time to ask God to cultivate these traits in your life. Where are you doing well? Which areas need some work?
• Have you seen these family traits displayed in your church family? Thank God for those positive experiences.
• On the flip-side, have you experienced disappointment or hurt in your church? If you have, it can be difficult to trust and believe that God’s family is any different from the rest of the world. Take some time to share your disappointments with someone you trust, and ask God for wisdom and help on how to address these situations. If you’ve hurt others within your church, confess that and ask for forgiveness.