Wednesday, August 9, 2023

You may have heard my parents talk about their experience on our family camping trip this spring. Now I would like to share a little bit of my perspective with you. 

For those who don’t know, my family went on a two-week tent camping trip out west. We visited nine national parks and never stayed in any one campground longer than two nights. 

Over those sixteen days, we had a range of injuries, including a chipped tooth, a broken toe, sun poisoning, and a cold that required a multitude of tissue boxes. Everyone (except Mom) said, “I want to go home,” at least once. There were definitely some challenging family moments.

But as trying as family can be, they are also a precious gift from God. They are the people who love, teach, and guide us. They point us back to who God is, or at least, to the way family was meant to be.

But we all know that isn’t always how families work. From minor frustrations to broken relationships, family is messy. The people who should be there for us no matter what can also cause the most pain. 

Paul’s letter to the Colossians offers us some advice about family.

Colossians 3:20-21
²⁰ Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

Neither the children nor the parents are let off the hook. Children are told to obey and honor their parents, even when it is hard. Parents are instructed to be patient with their children so they don’t feel defeated. 

It is when families live out this method of caring for one another that we can experience and share Christ. By loving our family, we mature in God’s love. 

Colossians 3:14
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Probably the hardest day on our camping trip was the night we spent at Lake Powell. 90 degrees, barely any shade, a lake we weren’t allowed to swim in, freezing showers, and only the half-way point of the whole trip. We were all feeling very aggravated and discouraged. 

But the next morning, we woke up early and packed up our tent, (we got pretty good at that) and headed for the Grand Canyon. And it was stunning. 

In the end, we still like each other. We survived, and, while the trip might not have been everyone’s favorite, we laugh and groan together as we tell the stories. 

Family, whether you are related by blood or tight friendship, is about just that. Journeying together and maturing as you go. 

Questions:
How do you honor and obey your parents or the parent-figures in your life? How are you patient and encouraging with your own children or the kids you encounter? In what ways is God maturing you through family? 

Next Steps:
Find one way to intentionally honor and encourage a family member. Next time you feel frustrated or misunderstood, take a deep breath and ask God for guidance. 

For those without children or close family, practice honoring and encouraging the people whom you are close with, whether they are the neighborhood kids, your friends, or the seniors at the grocery store. 

Prayer:
Father, thank you for my family, both the people who raised me and the spiritual family who supports me. Sometimes, family is hard and messy, but I don’t want to give up. Mature me through my family, and help me share your love with them. I love you. Amen. 

Series Theme Verse:
Colossians 1:23
But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.