The title of this article can be taken in two ways. Family matters, because our kinfolk are the most important people in the world. Without our family, we lose our support network, and we are cast adrift.
Family matters. Family counts. Family is important.
However, there is another meaning for this phrase. Family matters can also mean all the intricate relationships and goings on that occur within a family.
Family matters. Agreements. Disagreements. Inheritances. Things that tug us this way or that not because they are of interest to us, but because they involve our family.
In the book of 2 Samuel, Abner, the commander-in-chief of the Israelite army, was Saul’s first cousin. Abner’s appointment was a family matter. The king invited his cousin to become the head of his army. It was successful, by all accounts, as long as Saul lived. However, as happens with kings, Saul died, and his son took over the throne.
Ish-bosheth was a weak king, and his kingdom was held together solely by Abner’s strength and expertise. With time, the relationship became cracked. However, it was not yet broken at this point, for Abner led the armies of the new king to great victories.
Even so, the crack was there, and the downfall was on its way.
David, once Saul’s greatest warrior, and for a time his son-in-law, now had a kingdom of his own. When the crack widened between Abner and Saul’s son due to a disagreement about a woman, Abner fled to David, promising his loyal support.
Yet more family matters were afoot. Sometime earlier Abner had met with Joab, the leader of David’s army. An evening of entertainment had turned into anger, and Abner was forced to kill Joab’s brother.
A truce was made, but the killing rankled Joab.
Family matters. Relationships that tug us this way and that, cousin to cousin, uncle to son-in-law, and brother to brother.
When Abner fled to David, Joab saw his opportunity and killed Abner.
Even then the interconnected disagreements and moments of revenge did not fade away. On David’s deathbed, he advised his son, Solomon, to deal with Joab as Joab had dealt with Abner.
An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A death for a death.
Jesus had a different take on the matter. Matthew 5:38-48 tells us that if a man does evil to us, not to seek revenge. Rather, we must love our enemies and bless those who hate us.
We are all a family, and family matters. Family counts. Family is important. Without our families, we are cast adrift.
This is how the world will know we are the children of the Father, in that we show his love to those around us.
We have become perfect when we show the love of Christ to those who abuse us.
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Code: FGO.E.25.14b.vp