“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 6:10 (ESV)
God intended for believers to exist like a family and a community who bear each other’s burdens and pray for one another. The household of faith that Paul writes to the Galatians about, is a community more intimate than an entire church congregation, or the church across nations, full of people we don’t know. It’s an intimate family of believers.
The household of faith has a more personal reference, to that small community of friends who we see regularly and share our day to day prayer needs with. They are immediately accessible because they are part of our family of faith. They’re the ones we share our burdens, our hopes and our prayers with, and who do good for one another. We may not share the same physical house, but we are of the same household of faith.
When I gave birth to twin boys in 1980, I had no forewarning that I was carrying twins throughout my first and only pregnancy. I came home from the hospital with two babies instead of one. I had one crib, one car seat, one of everything and two babies. I was surprised to learn that the women’s group in my church had organized a schedule of ladies who prepared and delivered a home cooked meal to my home, every day for two weeks. It was a beautiful example of the household of faith.
The household of faith doesn’t mean everyone has the same opinions, or likes the same things. God created every person and every species of creation with individual uniqueness. If we look closer at nature, we recognize that each different species of birds have their own unique song that they sing. I’ve learned to tell whether a cardinal or a blue jay is in my back yard without ever seeing them. I can tell by each one’s unique song, which bird is nearby.
God also gave us our own unique song to sing as well. The more we accept that each person was created to be their own individual self, the easier it is to accept our differences. We each have a unique calling, with different gifts, different likes and dislikes, yet when it comes to faith, we are all being drawn by one Spirit, towards Jesus, who God gave to the whole world.
He is on a gathering mission, to seek, gather, and save anyone who is lost. Then He sends us out to sing our own unique song, and to do good for the world around us, with the gifts we were given. We are gathered together into one household of faith, which is the body of Christ in this world.
Lord, you know that we live in perilous times, but help us to keep doing good for those around us and for those within our household of faith. Use us with our own unique gifts, to help seek, gather and save all who are lost. Amen
