The Family’s Gold Cross And Chain

Read on December 16

Story provided by Jane

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.” —Ephesians 3:14–15

In Jane’s family, a valued tradition began the year her Aunt Barbie lost her husband and everyone wanted her to feel loved by her family and by God. They went to the store and bought a gold cross and chain that could be worn by a man or woman. They engraved the word Family on its back and placed it in a beautiful wooden box. 

Barbie received the cross first and was first to give it away the following year. Each Christmas Eve, the current cross-holder selects the next recipient and explains why they are receiving it for the year. Inside the beautiful wooden box, the cross is accompanied by a plaque that bears the names of the family members who have received the special gift.

The cross has been shared with almost forty people, and Jane hopes that the tradition will be carried on for many generations to come. 

Christmas has always been a season to celebrate the fact that God created us to be a family.

Jesus could have chosen to step into the world as an adult. Instead, he became a baby in Joseph and Mary’s family. Why did Jesus, who had the power to be an earthly King, choose to become a newborn? 

Could it be that Jesus chose his circumstances as an example to all of us?

Family is a theme of Scripture from the early moments of Genesis to the last words in Revelation. God created the concept of family and, through faith in his Son, he created his children to be a family of faith (See Romans 8:14–16).

Yet our earthly families are imperfect. We don’t have to change what we believe by faith, but we might have to honor the free will of a family member who chooses not to believe. God created them with free will. Sometimes all we can do, is give these family members we love, to their Creator. Our job is to love and care about them, not agree with them. 

Jesus chose to be part of an imperfect family. We can too. Our perfect Christmases will be spent in heaven. Until then, we can give the gifts that will draw them close to God, and hopefully to the family. 

It would be nice to have as many names as possible “engraved” on the list of names of people who knew they were loved.