The Family Resemblance

I have an interesting family heritage. My Dad's family lived in New York City and on "the Island". I have ancestors who fought in the Civil War, some on the Union side, some on the Confederate side. Between my sophomore and Junior years in high school, I moved from the Northeast, from a city of 8 million rooting for the New York Yankees to a Southern town of 800 where my new high school team was the Southland Rebels. This would be the last time I would be in New York for over 40 years.

In September, I traveled to Long Island and was able to have dinner with one of my cousins and his wife. I had no idea what he looked like, because all my memories were of a very young teenager. But as soon as he walked in the door, I knew him. He looked just like his father, and he said I looked like my Dad. As we talked that evening over fantastic Italian food, I noticed that some of his wording, mannerisms, even the way he held his head were just like his dad's and that he and I shared some of those same things. I've called them "aBrantthing". Between us there was a family resemblance.

For those of us who claim to follow Jesus, there should be a family resemblance between each of us and God and Jesus. We should not look like the people around us, but we should be uniquely different and by our look we should be part of God's family.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Col. 3:9-10).

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2).

Knowing Jesus is to transform us from what we are into the image of He who created us. Being a Christian means we are to be Christ like. We are to have the family of God resemblance.

Join our conversation about our physical and Spiritual Families and how we resemble them at www.hopeforlife.org.