Who is My Brother, Sister, and Mother?

And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He (Jesus) said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:49-50

What is the will of the Father? Fulfilling the very roles He has called us to fill. For me: wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, minister, counselor, leader of leaders, who aid in transforming the hearts of parents and children for the Lord and for each other. Fulfilling these roles not only causes us to do the will of The Father, but they also bring Him great glory.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17


Did it ever occur to you that when you cook a meal for your family, you are doing the will of Your Father? Did it ever occur to you that when you make love to your spouse, you are doing the will of your Father? Or when you spend time listening to your spouse about their day? Or show each other respect, honor and love? Or when you put your spouse above your children? When you go away for a weekend and give each other special devoted time?

Did it ever occur to you that when you stop your busy life to see your child’s game, help them with their school work, help them with their laundry and their chores, speak to them with words of peace, grace and mercy, build them up in the Lord, you are doing the will of your Father?

Did it occur to you that when you give your parents a call, spend a few hours with them one afternoon, that you are fulfilling God’s Word? Adversely, when we do not honor our parents of old, we invalidate the word of God. Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees for their lopsided view of doing the will of God:

For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH. But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," he is not to honor his father or his mother .' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Matthew 15:4-6

Did it ever occur to you that when you accept people into your home, feed them, visit with them, share God’s word with them, that you are doing the will of your Father? Or when you make your home the place where kids and teens hangout? Or when you put aside having the neat and perfect home in order to meet the needs of people, you are doing the will of your Father.

“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;
I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
naked, and you clothed Me;
I was in prison, and you came to Me.” Matthew 25:35-36

We can have this misconception that the will of the Father is only sharing the gospel, serving the poor, and teaching the Word, even to the neglect of our very important roles in our life. While all these things are His will, He desires these to be done in the midst of the very positions He put us here on earth to fulfill.

For me, God has called me to share the gospel, serve the needy, teach the Word in the midst of being a wife, mother, teacher, daughter, sister, friend, minister, counselor and leader. What roles did God call you to fill? How are you fulfilling them to His glory?

The food we eat sustains and gives energy to our life. It makes it possible for us to fulfill these roles that God has given us. And yet, it wasn't earthly food that Jesus looked to for the sustaining of His mission; the bountiful that sustained him was doing the Will of His Father in heaven.


Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. John 4:34