Cousins

 

I have cousins on my mother’s side and cousins on my father’s side, and for the most part, I resemble many of them.  Down south we say that I “favor” them.  I have a family resemblance in my cousins.  But did you know that there are cousins in the Bible?  There are evil cousins in the New Testament that resemble each other.  They are fear, guilt, and anger.  When you feel guilt, you are fearful.  You become angry because you carry guilt about some past sin.  These are different words, but they are in the same evil family … they three favor each other.  Paul said in II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  And this verse leads me to some other cousins:  Power, love, and a sound mind.  But this family resemblance is spiritual and is a gift from God.  John spoke about being “born again” into God’s forever family.  So … which family do you resemble?  Fear, guilt, and anger, or power love, and a sound mind?  Good question.  Think about it.