Family Resemblance
I once asked a co-worker if she and another co-worker were related because of the resemblance I saw between them. To my surprise, they were not related. They simply looked alike—at least alike enough to be mistaken for family members, even sisters! I confess that I often confused the two.
We are visual people, and our brains seem to identify similarities quickly. Scientists tell us that this is one way our brains “trick” our eyes. We seek patterns and similarities, and our brains fill those in, even when they are not explicitly present.
Some similarities are easy to spot. For instance, when a small child mimics the actions of his or her parent, those who are familiar with the family are able to spot this almost immediately. Physical features may or may not be immediately noticeable between parents and children, but over time, patterns of behavior in parents often become clearly expressed in their children.
In John 8, Jesus enters into a long conversation with certain religious leaders about His own origin and about the source of their own loyalties. The religious leaders are convinced that they are simply following their “father,” Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism. Jesus disagrees. He notes that their actions are more like another “father.”
The scene begins when Jesus declares that His ministry is from “the Father.” Jesus states: “I am the one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me” (8:18). In response to this, the religious leaders ask, “Where is your father?” (8:19) Jesus then responds: “You do not know me or my Father…If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
Later in this passage, as the religious leaders continue to question Jesus about the identity of His “Father,” they claim to be “Abraham’s children” (8:33). But, based on their own actions, Jesus declares bluntly to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, then you would do what Abraham did” (8:39). And also, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God…” (8:42).
The main reason they do not accept Jesus and His message, He reminds them, is because they have an entirely different “father” that they are mimicking: “You are children of your father, the devil!” (8:44). Jesus continues: “...you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him...”
As we move through this Season of Lent, our goal is to become more and more clearly the children of our heavenly Father, the One who created us and made a way for us through the life, example, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May each day bring a new awareness, both to us and to those to whom we minister, that we seek to look like and act like our heavenly Father!
Prayer for the week:
God of love,
source of mercy and compassion,
weave your dream for the world
into the fabric of our lives.
Remove the scales from our eyes
and lift the indifference from our hearts,
so that we may see your vision –
a new reign of justice and compassion
that will renew the earth.
Transform our lives,
so that we may accomplish your purpose.
(prayer adapted from Kurt Struckmeyer)
Charles W. Christian is managing editor of Holiness Today.
Written for devotions with Holiness Today
Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.
