Milk and Water

As I strolled through the aisles of the bookstore, I could overhear bits and pieces of a conversation between two men sitting on a soft sofa. One man was dressed in a simple black shirt and unfussy shorts. The other man gleamed in a freshly starched white Arab robe and traditional hat. And it was the Gospel I heard drifting through the air.

I soon learned that the man sharing God’s Word is a pastor of a local church who, over the last year, had befriend the Arab man who is preparing to return to his mother country. For the last year this pastor has been sowing seeds of faith into his friend praying for the Holy Spirit to water them. It is an unlikely bond, but I witnessed a camaraderie between the two akin to the bond of brothers.

In North America, we are familiar with the phrase “blood is thicker than water”. This simple saying is known as an old proverb- not to be confused with the Book of Proverbs- which is just a simple saying that expresses a truth based on common sense, or even a practical experience of our human nature. But in the Arab nations this phrase has a completely different meaning. In Arab culture, the saying is known as “blood is thicker than milk” referring to the milk of a nursing mother. To an Arab, any two nursed by the same mother and her milk hold a tie between them that is incredibly strong, but any two that have tasted each other’s blood hold a stronger tie called a covenant. This covenant is much stronger than the one from two that have nourished from the same mother.

It is considered by various authors that the word “blood” refers to a blood covenant, and that water refers to the “water of the womb” of which we all experience before making our presence into the world. A blood covenant is one we choose, being born from the same womb is not. If scholars are correct in their musings, the meaning of this little phrase- or proverb- then inverts itself to declare that the friends we choose are more important than family.

Matthew 12:48-50, But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

As Christians, we enter into a covenant with God by the shed- and spiritual tasting- of Christ’s blood upon the cross. It is by this blood covenant that we are given the blessing of a new found family known as the body of Christ who are often referred to as our brothers and sisters in Christ. Have you ever met someone new and the moment it is revealed that they too are a Christ follower, it sets off a small spark within your soul? I believe that spark is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is the immediate connection that you have as strangers- it is the blood covenant that you share, and the tie that binds you.

Many of us struggle with the bonds of family. Some wonder why they were even born into a particular family, or why there exists struggle with those whom we are to have a thicker bond. But if the sharing of a covenant with God by the shed blood of Christ does not exist, some struggle there will be.

This tie- the scarlet thread- is the bond we share as a body of believers. And this tie is stronger than milk or water.

Father, we give you praise for the brothers and sisters we have in Christ. Help us to honour the covenant we have with you bring worship and praise to your holy name. In Jesus name, Amen.

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