Ever had a twinge of guilt when you feel closer to those in your faith community than you do to those in your own family? Sometimes our families don’t share our faith. They may even be antagonistic to the beliefs we cherish. When this causes distance between family members, God provides us with sweet relationships in the family of God.  There is a long list of Bible heroes whose families didn’t appreciate them or their faith. The instances of faith trumping blood are many.

Joseph’s brothers sent him away to a foreign land, but God gave him a wife and two sons there. And God gave him honor and respect among the Egyptians as second in command under Pharaoh. He was reunited with his loving father after years of separation. Even his hateful brothers eventually admitted their sin against him and honored him. Sometimes there is repentance and healing in families. But not always.

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:15-21

David’s father disrespected him and minimized him as did his brothers. But God gave him Jonathan, a man who loved him much more than his brothers did. And Abigail, a wife who honored him more than his first wife, Michal, would. As he evaded King Saul’s wrath, God gave David a band of men who risked their lives for him. Later, as king, he had faithful men surrounding him. His close family didn’t support him, but many others stepped up to support him.

The prophet Daniel was separated from his family as a young man when he was deported from Israel to a heathen country. But God gave him comrades in faith, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He had lost his family, but like-minded, faithful companions banded together with him as they withstood the temptations of their heathen surroundings and rose to power and influence.

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel . . .
To these four young men, God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds . . . The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.” Daniel 1

Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe he was who he claimed to be. They talked their mother into believing that he was “out of his mind”. So they went to “take charge of him”. But Jesus didn’t give in to family pressure. He remained where he was, teaching the people who wanted to listen and believe.

“Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
. . . Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:20-23, 31-34
When our biological families refuse to believe, our faith family meets our needs. Jesus didn’t love his brothers less, but he was more at home with those who trusted and honored him.

Later, his brothers tried to goad him into doing a dangerous thing. They were scornful and cynical. It must have been hard for Jesus to be disrespected by his closest relatives!
“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” John 7:1-5

Besides the many who listened and believed him, God gave him eleven men (the twelfth was a thief and a traitor) who loved and honored him and who spent day and night with him. These were his special brothers. Among these, John was especially close as were Peter and James.

The family situation was still tense when Jesus gave his life for those who would believe in him. His mother was loyal to him to his last breath. Knowing his brothers were antagonistic to him, (and possibly toward his mother for believing in him), he entrusted his mother into the loving arms of his beloved disciple, John. He commanded John to take Mary as his own mother, and Mary to take John as her own son. She would be safe and dearly loved with John. Faith trumped blood.

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother . . . When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John 19:25-27

Take heart, dear believer, if your family is at odds with you because they don’t care about pleasing God, or if you can only have superficial conversations because they don’t have any spiritual interest. Lean into the loving arms of Jesus, fill your mind with God’s Word, and invest in sweet relationships in the family of God.  Spend time with those who share your faith, serve in your church, and pray for your faith family and your own family.