Ruth blended herself into Naomi’s family and became one of the seeds of the lineage of David. Jesus, the baby born in the manger, came from that same line!
Ruth, whose husband had died, said to Naomi, her mother-in-law, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you to Bethlehem, the place of your people. For where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.” From Ruth 1: 5-16.
Do not hide from those that need your help, and be available to your own families. Isaiah 58: 7
The sons of Jacob became jealous of their brother Joseph and sold him as a slave into Egypt. Yet God was with him, and rescued him from all his troubles. God granted him favor and unusual wisdom in the court of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and his palace. A famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great misery with it, and Jacob and his sons could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, he sent his sons to buy some. On the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Then Joseph sent word and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five people in all. And Jacob went to Egypt and moved there. Acts 7: 9-15
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid. Don’t I act for God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50: 19-21
As we become more motivated to help others and see God’s harvest happen, we don’t want to forget our family members who may also be in need. Sometimes this is harder because family knows us so well and they may be reluctant to receive help from us. Helping family in need also implies that we end up being responsible to help them over the long haul, which might be very long indeed! So sometimes we might hide from their phone calls, ignore their emails or texts or somehow forget about their issues and difficulties in the buzz of our own lives. But we know deep inside that we should be more available, open to listen to them and concerned for their welfare.
Who are our relatives? Today’s world, versus the world of the Bible, tends to have a narrower view of who is in our family. Mostly, we don’t have grandparents or cousins or people from other families living with us. In that case, we don’t normally consider them an essential part of our social unit.
As Jesus expanded the term of neighbor to include whomever God places in your life, it follows that He would also expand the term of relative to include whomever God places in your life that has some familial connection.
And we might broaden our own social unit or the social unit of others to include children blended into the home through divorce and remarriage. This might be on a permanent, regular or occasional basis. Blending families also adds additional grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, step-siblings and half-siblings. We might name and accept these additional members as part of our already acknowledged extended family.
The full story of Joseph is told in Genesis 37-50; a great read if you aren’t familiar with the details! Joseph was ultimately successful, in spite of what his brothers did to him. He was faithful to God, in spite of being sent to prison on a false charge. And he was forgiving and available to his family, even though they did not act out of love or respect for him.
Joseph recognized the big picture of his life and summed it up by saying: God meant it all for good!
I’m not sure what kind of relationship you have with your relatives. Do you live near each other and see each other all the time? Do you live across the country or the world from each other and call and text often, or not? Do you have blended or extended family living with you? Have you inherited a legacy of rifts and brokenness from the last generation and you hardly know who or where your relatives live? Have you been party to arguments and misunderstandings that have left you feeling alone in the world?
No matter the current state of your connection with your relatives, God created family. God loves family. God has a bigger and better picture for you to interact with, as a Christian who is part of His extended family.
Recall when you had a great time with someone in your extended family. How did that make you feel? How did it make them feel?
Think through your family history. In what way do you think God has meant for you to be a part of this family, for His good?
How do you want the story of your family, or a particular person you are drawn to, to be written? How can you be a part of God’s rewrite?
Find someone else in your family to share your dreams with and do something extraordinary. God has your back!
List the people that God has placed in your life as family and pray for them as you write down their name.
There might be some that you know already have needs and issues. Underline their name and commit to pray more often for them. There might be some that you have no idea what is going on with them. If the Holy Spirit draws you to someone, figure out how to connect with them and share the abundance of love that God has given you, as a starting place.
When Ruth says that Naomi’s people are now her people, she is blending herself into Naomi’s extended family life and, most importantly, the spiritual life of Naomi’s family in Bethlehem. Ruth, from Moab, became the great-grandmother of King David. And, an earthly ancestor of Jesus! You may never see the full outcome of your availability to your family, but God will make a legacy for Himself through you!
Lord on High, You see my family as it really is. You see it as it will be. Use me to be Your good in my family. Point my heart towards someone You want me to love with Your love. Thank You that You are my family and Your love sustains me. Amen.
happy hunger 
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