Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

I have always been in awe of Jesus and the questions He asks throughout Scripture. If you study the heart behind His questions, you will always find a deeper truth that He wants us to know! I read a book once that talked about the power of “tripping over the truth.” The concept was that it is way more effective to stumble upon the truth for ourselves rather than being lectured about what is true. Questions are a great way to lead someone to trip over their truth. In Matthew 12:47, we see someone tell Jesus, as He is teaching, that His mother and brothers wanted to talk to Him. Jesus responds by asking the question, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” He wasn’t leading the people to identify His actual mother and brothers; instead, He wanted them to trip over a deeper truth. This deeper truth is revealed in verse 50, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Let’s take a moment to trip over our own truth by asking a few questions of our own in light of this statement. What does it mean for me to do the will of my Father? Romans 12:2 is one of the best guides to answering this question. It simply states that when we stop conforming to the patterns of this world and begin renewing our minds with the truth of His Word, we begin to be transformed and are able to find God’s perfect will for our lives. God promises that His will is good and pleasing. So, rest in the fact that when we are actively trying to obey God’s plan and design, we are family to Him!

What does it mean to be considered part of the family of Jesus? Think about your own family for a moment. As I think about my family, the one thing that comes to mind is the immense love I have for them. There is absolutely nothing I wouldn’t do for my family. The love we have for our family is shown through our actions. Now consider Jesus in light of this. He has such an immense love for us, and He proved there is absolutely nothing He wouldn’t do for us through His sacrificial death on a cross. I can’t think of a greater way for Jesus to show us the meaning of being considered part of His family! Now the only question to consider is, “What choices will we make today that will reflect that we are His family?”

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What burdens are you carrying right now that feel too heavy to bear? Jesus invites you to bring those to Him, to trust in His gentle and humble heart.
• He doesn’t place unrealistic expectations on you. Instead, He offers you His yoke—His way of life that is marked by grace, rest, and peace. Will you accept His invitation?
• This week, practice releasing one specific burden to Jesus in prayer each day. As you do, intentionally seek to treat yourself and others with gentleness, remembering that Christ’s gentleness brings rest and peace, not pressure or striving.
• Prayer: Lord, I come to You weary and burdened. I thank You for Your invitation to rest in Your gentleness. Teach me to walk in step with You, to learn from Your gentle and humble heart. Help me to lay down my burdens and find peace in Your presence. May Your gentleness shape the way I live and interact with others. Amen.