⁴⁸ He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-50 CSB)

I am involved with a number of specific groups in both ministry and business. Each of these have some form of membership. None are secret and all are open to just about everyone, but there are parameters for each. Thus, there are criteria to meet to join.

Now, some of the groups I am a member of have a term we use feely with each other but guardedly outside of those ranks. When we call someone brother there is a deeper meaning I have written about before. There is an association with that term that goes deeper, in some cased, than familia ties.

But with the body of Christ, the church, the only true membership criteria is belief in Christ. I use the term brother and sister far more freely here because as Christ said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister.”

However, regardless of this kinship of the Spirit, we as Christians should strive to treat everyone as a brother or sister. It is part of our Christian duty to love on those around us and even upon the unlovable.

With all of the social upheaval of past years, maybe it is time to treat others in a more brotherly and sisterly fashion.