Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1Peter 2:10
The question from the pastor on Sunday morning was, “Who are your people?” My mind flashed back almost fifteen years sitting across from my new boss. The dental practice I worked for had been sold, and now the new boss was trying to get to know his new staff. Not too far into the conversation, he asked me why I had worked for the previous owner for almost seven years. I remember wondering if it was a trick question to manipulate me into revealing any office discourse. So I kept my reply very generic and empathically replied, “Because these are my people!” He asked me to explain myself. I said my co-workers were my friends, and many of my patients were people I lived with in the community, church, school, Girl Scouts, and neighborhood. How would you answer that question? Who are your people?
In this new season of life called retirement, one of our most pressing prayers is for the Lord to show us our people. It’s hard to leave friends, neighbors, and colleagues behind, and finding new people when called to move is tough. After numerous military moves, you would think finding my people would be easy. But it is not, and according to the scriptures, I don’t know if easy is the right word. The process should be intentional and God-driven for sure. In Mark 3:31-35, Jesus describes who our people should be and the criteria required for them to be our people. Jesus is among a crowd, and someone relays the message that His mother, brothers, and sisters are asking to speak to Him. And Jesus replied, “Who are My mothers and My brothers?” I can only imagine the look on the faces of the crowd. In the passages just before this account in Mark, the scribes were accusing that Beelzebul or Satan possessed Jesus. Jesus was not helping his case here by asking the crowd who His mothers and brothers were. On top of being possessed, they can accuse Him of being demented. But He goes on to answer His own question and redefine the meaning of family. He looks around the circle and declares, “Here are My mother and brothers! Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.” I imagine a sweet, gentle look on Jesus’ face, arms sweeping wide to include all sitting around Him and inviting them if they were not already to be a part of His family. As Christians, we are Jesus’ people!
So, what does that mean for us when we define our people? I believe every person that crosses our path in this life is a divine appointment. There are no coincidences. Some people are in our circle for many years, and some for only a brief time, and it is all under the sovereignty of God. Hopefully, many are Believers because we need fellow Believers in our circle for support and uplifting (Hebrews 10:23-25). But some will be unbelievers so that the world may see and know Jesus through us (John 17:23). I’m blessed to have many people with whom my life circle has intersected. Still, I have learned that only Christ’s definition is true when defining “my people,” not the one I gave to my new boss over a decade ago. It is those that do the will of God. And what is the glorious end to knowing who your people are? The answer is found in Revelation 21:3: Look! God’s home is now among His people. He will live with them, and they will be His people. We will all live together someday with God! And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture, taken this summer before leaving VA, is of a few of “my people.”