When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Mark 3:21
Imagine being able to call Jesus “cousin” or spend time with him as a family member. We wouldn’t treat him the way he is being treated in the Gospel—or would we? When I first read this short passage, it seemed as though something was missing, and it felt strange to me. I did not want to think about Jesus’ family being ashamed of him, yet that is what they seem to be.
Families should protect and be proud of each other. They help teach us who we are and are supposed to know us better than our friends and coworkers, but in reality this is sometimes not so.
Just as Jesus’ relatives seem unaware of their unique cousin, we, too, at times take our family members for granted. We may not even notice the gifts they possess, gifts those outside the family see and appreciate more than we do.
Jesus, when I feel like a stranger in my own family, help me remember that even those closest to you did not recognize how special and how important you were.
Kathleen Furman
Originally published January 24, 2004
