Family Connections
It didn’t take long for him to discover that I was the daughter of Keith and Janet.
Reference: “Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.’ ” Genesis 45:20 NIV
Explore: When I went to boarding school I had to start attending a new church. The first Sunday I walked through the church doors I was terrified.
I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t know where I should sit and I wasn’t sure what the appropriate dress code or behaviour was.
A kind gentleman came up to greet me and started to ask me some introductory questions. It didn’t take long for him to discover that I was the daughter of Keith and Janet.
Well, suddenly things changed. I was introduced to other people who knew my parents, I was told what a great family I came from and I was welcomed into people’s homes for meals.
These people had no idea what I was like personally, but my connection to my amazing parents opened the doors for me.
Application: While our family does not need to define us, people will often align who we are with the people we have grown up with.
The story of Joseph illustrates this well. Joseph had been promoted to the highest position of power under Pharaoh and when Pharaoh discovered his family was in town he blessed them with great abundance too.
He didn’t know all the ins and outs of Joseph’s family history, he just extended the respect he had for Joseph to his whole family.
Our actions don’t just impact us but can influence our family and even our communities. My aim is to bring blessing on my family, even in times when I am not present.
Prayer: Lord, our actions have a wider impact than we can imagine. May we live in such a way that we never regret the impact we have on others. Amen.
How do your actions impact your family?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.