I have heard people say, “You don’t get to choose your family!” I believe that to be only partially true. I did not choose my father and mother, but my family is greater than my family tree of ancestors. My family includes those who have been there when both my father and mother passed away. My family includes those who came to see my newborn children in the hospital. My family includes those who celebrated with me my greatest triumphs and consoled me in my greatest times of trial. Each and every one of them I have chosen to be a part of my family.
Most of the time we talk about stewardship in terms of time, talent, and treasure. We quantify the size of our gifts, seeing them as things that have a finite value. However, true stewardship has no limits. What we are called to give is everything. When we fully empty ourselves into another and into the reality of God we find ourselves transformed. We truly grow into our own as the creations we became at baptism.
It is in that transformation that we find ourselves connected to others in a profound way. Those who were not connected to us by blood are now connected to us by spirit. Our family, the body of Christ, grows and becomes stronger. In this family, a man can be father to a Son not of his flesh and a woman mother to a Son of a divine origin. In this family, we find our hope and our home. And we must never make the mistake of thinking that is not a choice.
—Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS