Love the ones you’re with.

As Jesus-followers, we live with the mandate (and hopefully the desire) to love everybody as best we can.

But sometimes answering the call to love everybody results in not loving anybody very well, especially our closest family and friends.

The people nearest us are our first ministry.  We can’t kid ourselves into thinking that God’s will for us is so grand and glorious and world-changing that it skips right over our family members, our parents, siblings, spouses, or children.

We can be assured instead that it starts with them.

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8)

Relationships count for a lot.  And how we honor them says a lot about us.  I know I’m paraphrasing the original intent of the song, but make sure you “love the one(s) you’re with.”

If God’s will includes anything, and of course it includes many wonderful things, it will certainly include loving and taking care of your family members.  Nowhere is this more profoundly illustrated than in this episode at the cross…

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother. … When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)

Think about it.  Can there be a more sacred moment than when Jesus is hanging on the cross?  Every word He chooses is heavy with meaning; He is not going to waste his breath.  As her firstborn son, He saw to it that His mother would be cared for.  This was a priority for Him.

Loving and taking care of our family is a holy responsibility.

Love your spouse.  Not just on Valentine’s Day, but everyday.   Love your kids, your parents, your siblings.  Love them well.

If we are to love anybody–and we’re called to love everybody–love the ones you’re with!