Every few years my family holds a reunion at a park near Lake Michigan. We don't see one another very often, so we're always amazed at how much the grandchildren have grown or how much the children look like their parents. I look forward to the picnic because I'm reminded that I'm part of a family.

Everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior belongs to God's family. The apostle Paul said that we are all "members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19). We are part of a family that is made up of all believers in Christ.

Members of a loving family should be honest about their concerns for one another. They can ask about how specific problems or struggles are being handled, and they can confront difficult issues.

As believers in Christ, we are to be concerned about other members in the family of God. Sometimes the path to spiritual growth can get pretty rough. So we need to encourage fellow Christians to turn from their sin and live for the Lord. The purpose is always to produce a harmonious family of believers who are doing the work of God and building one another up.

What a privilege to be a part of the family of God! --DCE  — David C. Egner