Can your family hurt instead of help?
Question:
I have been searching for Scriptures on the family being very important, but that sometimes family members may hurt you instead of help you. Please help me with this because the Bible reads in Mark 3:35 that the one who does the will of God is thy family. This is always brought up when a family needs something.
Answer:
Whenever people are involved, we must realize that there some who are going to be bad people.
- Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers (Genesis 37).
- Eli's sons were an embarrassment to him (I Samuel 2).
- Tamar was raped by her brother (II Samuel 13).
- David's son overthrew him and publicly had sex with some of David's wives (II Samuel 15-16)
- Solomon's wives led him away from God (I Kings 11)
"He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart" (Proverbs 11:29). Inheriting the wind means you get nothing that can be held on to. Of course, this means some will try. "He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live" (Proverbs 15:29). The problem is that when you need something, it is easier to ask family for help or to expect your family to rescue you from your own foolishness.
Mark 3:35 is not the appropriate verse in this case. "But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother"" (Mark 3:33-35). In this passage, Jesus is claiming obedient followers as his family. Unlike men, Jesus doesn't cause his family grief. But we sometimes cause our Lord grief when we sin.
