We Are Family

My Mother in law is visiting us from out of state this week. I picked her up at the airport yesterday and one of the first things she talked about was her cleaning lady. It seems the woman’s husband had just suffered a massive heart attack, and no one was sure if he would survive. She was very concerned for her friend, and I asked some questions to keep her talking about the situation.

She shared with me that the woman had been cleaning her home for several years, and she regarded my mother-in-law as family. In fact, she received a Christmas card with our entire family’s picture on it a couple of years ago, and the woman framed it and keeps it up in her living room, telling visitors that this is her family! Believe me, there is no family resemblance, which makes it all the more wonderful. My mother-in-law shared with me some practical ways that she and others were trying to care for the cleaning lady while in crisis.

While we were talking about this, I was reminded of how my guy’s family opened their home to a teen-aged boy years ago, the best friend of my husband, who had a turbulent home life. This kid was treated as one of the family through the years, and as an adult turned his back on the legacy that was given to him, and became an upstanding member of the community. Still today he cites the love from another family as what helped him see a better way of living.

I thanked God yesterday for reminding me that family isn’t always who you’re born with, and we are called to simply love others. I think I also need to thank my mother-in-law.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22