LESSONS FROM RAYLEE (3): FAMILY
If you look at the animal kingdom, you can only come to one conclusion about human young: we are useless!
In comparison to say impala or wildebeest, who literally have to be running around a few minutes after birth in order to stay alive. These creatures get born, and stand straight away, stretch their legs and start moving. In the case of the migration between Kenya and Tanzania, these little ‘kids’ pretty much are ready to run across a country… and sadly, if they don’t, they become prey.
As looked at in the last lesson from Raylee, human babies, on the other hand, are completely dependent! At birth, a human child is completely helpless. If left alone, they will never survive.
Which makes me think… maybe, just maybe this is because God created humankind for relationship… and we are not supposed to live alone. Life is supposed to be done in community. Hence the invention of the family. And the church. (Both God’s inventions. Just saying.)
What a phenomenal idea, this family thing. To know genuine love and to be looked after. To be provided for and brought up… to learn and grow… and later on in life, to show genuine love and to provide for and bring up your on children… to teach them, and look after them.
And then God took it another step further when He invented the church… to provide a way for those without biological families also to know these blessings! And for those who do have biological families just to have a greater family as well.
I feel SO PRIVILEGED to have so many people around us who love Raylee to bits: to have grandparents and uncles and aunts, near and far who just love her to pieces; and cousins to play with! That we have hand-me-downs for days! It is overwhelming! It is family!
And then even further than that: to have so many people who love her at church that they shotgun holding her, and get upset when they have to pass her along; that they post selfies with Raylee; that they don’t mind her puking on them; that at a wedding we took her to, there was a queue of people that we deeply trust to care for her, and hold her. It is overwhelming! It is the church, the family of God.
And yes, the church has messed up. And some families have messed up (probably all families in some way…) But shucks, guys! Family is awesome! Community is awesome! It’s what we’re made for. Let’s appreciate it! Let’s try to do it well!