It's in the genes

You know that saying, Friends are the family you choose for yourself? I have been pondering that and thought that that is a such rude and thoughtless statement. Here's why. When I was little I had my own room with a double bed (life of luxury, I assure you) and I was learning how to spell. Instead of sleeping one night I decided to practice my spelling... on the headboard. With a plastic pencil, I carved words onto my very nice, oak headboard. I don't remember exactly how the events unfolded from there but I remember having to wait for my dad to get home that evening for my punishment. It was well-deserved but not necessarily something I wanted to have happen to me. Regardless of what I thought though, there were consequences for my actions. If only I had shared a room like my sisters then maybe one of them would have said, "ummmmmmm, don't do that! you'll get in trouble!" As Christians we are being broken and punished by our Heavenly Father constantly because by His very nature He is a just God. If we are listening, the reprimand isn't the end of the world. Descartes stated God to be something that, "nothing greater can be conceived," so He must deal with our sin. If we are compromising our witness and the name of Christ the punishment is sure to be swift and unpleasant. Those who truly care about us tell us things about ourselves that are unpleasant and possibly hurtful because the truth, in a depraved world, is not sexy. To be refined by God is something an unsaved person cannot understand or begin to grasp. This does not grant us a right to arrogance by any means but what an amazing thought! God breaks, molds and reforms those whom He loves. It's a continual promise that He has placed us in the world for His purposes, His desires in His perfect time. What an excellent family I have. I didn't choose them but they love me enough to correct me and mold me into the creation God intended me to be... something I could not and would not choose on my own. Friends are to be valued and treasured for sure but more than that family is to be honored and revered above all. Don't think I am shrugging friends off, I'm not. I have realized though that very few people we encounter in life develop into relationships of the familial sort. Rarely do we have a friend who will say, "what you just did was really stupid." As much as it probably hurts a parent to deny a child his wish that parent realizes the importance of his child's positive development. The still, small voice of Jesus Christ is present within our lives... that includes the words our families speak to us.