A Family Resemblance

It is much to my chagrin that Colette has developed my stubbornness and impatience.  Whether it is nature or nurture that has imbedded these traits into her character is debatable, but they are evidence of her mommy.  And yet, one of the greatest delights of a parent is to see yourself, or the love of your life, in your child.  Mary likes to make people laugh, especially herself.  She has an ease about her personality, that allows her to be very free in her expression.  This was one of the abilities that I first loved about her father. Colette is much more thoughtful and reserved about her interactions with others, as was I as a child, but her ability to reason and argue are gifts handed down from her daddy.

Jon and I daydream about this baby whose arrival we anxiously await.  We like to pretend that we will be able to blend all of our best characteristics into this creation- s/he will sleep like Mary does, eat like Colette does, and be just the right balance of silly and serious, determined, but not too stubborn, sensible yet spirited.  We know that realistically this child will be nothing like the first two, yet carry resemblances of all of us.  It is what binds a family.  I can see God's design in my children as ways that He speaks to me and my husband about how we need to grow in our relationship with Him and the graces He pours out on us.  Colette was made to challenge my own stubborn spirit, but she also exhibits a compassion and thoughtfulness that daily makes me reflect on the simple act of loving one another.  Mary was a good sleeper by the grace of God because He knew that with a husband working full time and completing law school, I could handle nothing more.  She also tends to be the comedic relief.  I know this child that grows inside of me now is being fashioned to fit needs we do not even realize we have as a family.  I look forward to it unfolding.

Children are so impressionable that it is not a wonder that they develop the characteristics of parents.  This is why even the adopted child often hears that they are just like their father or mother and that statement can be applied even at the level of physical appearance though no biological quality is shared.

As Christians we are the biological product of Adam and original sin.  As we grow, the traits that were handed down through his offspring are apparent in our lives.  We all express a resistance to God's order and Will for us, as well as skepticism for His intent as Adam and Eve did when they partook of the forbidden fruit.  Yet we are adopted children of God, called to bear His familial resemblance.  In law, the adopted child has as much right to the inheritance as the biological child.  Clearly that inheritance is in Heaven, but there is also an inheritance here on Earth that we receive.  As the adopted child of God, you have received the Holy Spirit to guide you into resembling the family name of Christ.

Galatians 5:22-23 offers this earthly inheritance: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."  These are all traits of Our Father, traits that He delights seeing revealed in His children.  Just as we look to our earthly parents as children to develop our behaviors, so should we daily be looking to our Heavenly Father for these gifts to become the prevailing characteristics that shine in our life.  As we model these attributes, it becomes evident to others who our Father is.

What kind of family resemblance do you bear?  Is it as one who has been adopted by God, or one born of Adam?  Is there a particular fruit of inheritance that you have struggled obtaining?  As I have confessed, mine would be patience, but self-control is right alongside that.  It would be good to remember that if we look to our God and the ways He exemplifies these traits in His daily interactions with us, we have a greater chance of actually achieving those qualities in our own personality.  This week consider praying for the fruit that is yours in the Spirit and studying how God shows you examples of this in His Word and in His work in your life.