My People
Who are my people? In every culture I can think of, family is important—even in our own individualistic culture.
Names
When we visited our daughter, Heather, in South Sudan some years back, we were given Dinka names even for our short time there. Dinka names communicate the family group you are part of, and even though we are not Dinka, it is a vital part of their culture to place us in a familial context. One day as we entered the village market, a local gentleman about our age asked us all the greeting questions. We answered in Dinka (using up pretty much our full vocabulary), and he responded with “It is good you have learned the mother tongue.” We chuckled after we walked on, but language is also an important part of belonging to family there. We were their people for those two months.
In Christ-centered families, we learn to love and serve God and what it means to become functional adults. We look through photos of our ancestors and hear stories about them. We begin to understand our specific identity as part of the family. If we want to do something our parents don’t approve of, they may say, “I don’t care if all the other kids are doing this. You’re a (insert surname).”
Black Sheep?
At a small gathering in California, Dr. Robert Godfrey, then president of Westminster Seminary California, pointed out that if we, as believers, are asked about our heritage, we could point to the Israelites and early church Christians, because they are “our people.” We have been born again into a new, eternal family. Amazing! So Paul and Peter and John and Luke are my people, as are even Abraham and Jacob and David and Samson and . . . wait. Samson? He must be the black sheep of the family! But then, well, if I read my Bible carefully and look at my own life, I must conclude that we’re all black sheep. As Isaiah proclaimed, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
There’s only one exception: Jesus, the pure spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. The Isaiah passage continues, “. . . and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Because of Jesus, we’ve been adopted—grafted into God’s chosen people Israel. Along with the patriarchs and apostles in the Bible, other believers—for instance, those in my church—are my family, my people.
In families, we learn about our people. Some may wander away from the family for a time, may even become estranged from the family, but we pray for them; we care about them; they’re family. In Christ’s High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” We’re a united family—one with each other. And, in what almost seems to be heresy, not only are other believers my people, but the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is my people. More accurately, we are God’s people.
Our elder brother, Jesus, is reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords. Yes, he’s our brother and we’re one with him, but he is also our Savior and Lord. We are collectively his bride. He’s given us a book with our family history and with instructions on how our King wants us to love and serve him. As a church family, we pray for one another, weep when someone is suffering, and rejoice with those who rejoice. As family, we disciple, challenge, and encourage each other with this book, the Bible. Every week in church, our pastor preaches from it as God the Holy Spirit uses the words to convict, encourage, instruct, and challenge each of us in ways that will help us grow more and more into the familial likeness of Christ.
Extended Family
Our family is bigger than our local church, though. There’s a lot more of our people! Four years ago, I traveled to Finland with my daughter Heather and my sister Bev for a brief visit to the land of our ancestors. I learned more about my distant relatives. My grandparents grew up there and we connected with three cousins we’d never met. We learned a lot more about our family tree. When I learned recently that my cousin Liisa’s husband passed away, I grieved, too. They’re my people, even though I had only just met them.
But compared to our earthly families, Christ’s family is, well, HUGE. Way back in Genesis 22, God told Abraham that “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.” That’s a lot of people and we’re part of them. At the end of Psalm 22 are these words: “Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” We’re part of God’s people who were “yet unborn,” and it is very moving to see that even then, even before the foundation of the earth, God had an eye toward his people through the ages—including me. And you.
When I stop to ponder how many believers from other nations that I have connected with, it is mind boggling. I can think of Christians I know personally in twenty or more countries. How exciting it was to worship with believers in South Sudan who are now Christ’s people, even a former bein beith (witch doctor) we’d met who turned to Christ. What joy! They’re my people and there are myriads more alive today I’ve never met. Some of my people, whose names I don’t even know, are suffering in unthinkable ways because of their faith in Jesus. I must bring them in prayer before our Father more often. And some of my people have not yet been born again, but our Father knows who they are. I must pray for them, as well.
But there’s more that I must do than just pray.
In Matthew 28, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” God the Father has given Jesus many others to be part of the family, the kingdom—to be our people. He has given Jesus, God the Son, authority over the earth. Jesus sends us out to gather his people into the Kingdom. God the Holy Spirit does the hard work of changing hearts, but we’re called to go—whether it’s next door or across the globe—we are to go, under Christ Jesus’s authority. Our people are all over the world and some of them have never even heard about Jesus. At least not yet. Will you pray—support—mobilize—go as God gives opportunity? Let’s spread the seed of the gospel so people yet unknown will hear and turn to Jesus—and be our people!
My name is Irene, and I have been married to my husband, Howard, for over fifty wonderful years. I have been part of the bride of Christ since I was a sophomore in high school. You probably know me better as Heather’s mom, We also have a son and his family who live far away; I wish we lived closer together! Springs Reformed Church is my church home.