What Really Makes a Family?

We all have families whether we were born into them, married, or adopted into them.  We may have really close friends or animals that we consider family.  What really makes a family a family?  What does the word family really mean?  Merriam-Webster uses certain words to describe family: household; living under the same roof, clan; common ancestry, race; common stock, fellowship; common convictions or affiliations. So my ultimate question is does just being related to someone make you “family’?  It takes my mind to the old saying that “blood is thicker than water”.  To me it says that family is one of the most important units that we have.  There are so many people in the world that long for a family to be a part of or belong to.  It behooves us to do what we can to appreciate what family we have and keep the fellowship alive and much as we can.  How many of you know that God instituted the family before he instituted the church?  That’s how important the family is to God.

So ultimately what really makes a family is love.  Just good ol’ fashioned love.  If we have love for our family members regardless of blood relation, it will eventually spread to others in the world who really need it.  The infinite possibilities of family are very clear when we share the love that God intended.