WHEN is a Family NOT a Family??

>>> When It's An Empire!!!

   After viewing several episodes of the series Empire, I came to conclusion:

There are some families that really put the FUNK in "Dysfunctional"! My wife

has been binge watching the series on Hulu for quite some time. Not me. I just

jump in from time-to-time and then piece things together ... Or Renee will give

me a running commentary on the show if I let her! Anyway, some of the deeds

and antics of the members of the Lyon family are just ca-razzzy, and borderline

on the dastardly.

   One of the things I observed is regarding the father, the patriarch of the family.

He started the whole "Empire" thing, being a self-made music-mogul, and CEO

of his own company. It's a family company ... but that's where that image stops.

The father is proud, and does all he can to protect his name, "Lucius Lyon" and

his company. He has 3 sons (two who are very musical)

and he has a love-hate relationship with them all.

There are hostile takeovers, cursings of family members, dirty deeds swept under

the carpet, et al. It's a lot like "thug-love" meets the music industry ... makes me so

very glad that I'm not caught up in that stuff, being that I'm an Indie artist.

Anyway, there's also the mother. "Cookie", she is called. She's an amazing A&R

talent, having a good ear for new talent and she can produce almost any act that

comes her way. She loves her boys . . . well, loves them when she's not also cursing

them with choice words. One episode shows her slapping the back of one of her

sons on the head, because she thought he was being stupid. That's typical for Cookie.

Cookie is tough, she's sexy, curvy, and someone you don't want to tangle with. She

spent 17 years in prison (taking the fall for her husband), and she can still beat the

crap out of any competition who's thrown down in front of her.

   So, here, I am going to refrain from spoilers and such, just in case you want to

watch the show. Some believers out there think that watching this show, that it's

evil and a waste of time. But for me, it has been an education. Oh sure, there's some

good music and all of that, but there is actually some good in the characters, even

if you have to dig for it. They try to come together as a real family, embracing all

of their faults and flaws and fighting ... that part was good. But underlying all of this

is still this prideful protecting thing, and a 'we're gonna hold onto this company no

matter what, and do whatever it takes to do so' mentality.

   I realize that this is just a fantasy. It's not real. It's a bunch of stories. However, it

does depict a lot of acts & garbage that has taken place in the Biz. Jealousy, cut-throat-ism,

murder, fierce competition and back=stabbing.  We could probably pull from real-life

stories like Tupac, Notorious Big and others and compare notes. This stuff actually

happens out there in the real world.

   So where is "the family"?  It often gets swallowed up in the heirarchy and fear of

and from the patriarch himself ... Lucius Lyon. I mean, he is THE KING. All bow

before him, and don't forget to pay him tribute, because . . . without him, you're

nuthin' and you wouldn't even be here!! While watching the show, I began to wonder

if EMPIRE was the name of the record label, or the family itself! 

   So much dysfunction . . .  let me talk about that for a minute.

THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT TO BE

 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in  what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.   Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.  Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.  So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.  For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;  from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. 
(James 3:2-12)

That's what I'm talking about. Word Curses. Praising God, but cursing our neighbor,

brothers, sisters, etc.  In the Lyon family, it goes something like this: "You are all beautiful

boys ... but you are a bunch of punk-asses!" (The parents actually said this).  This kind of

talk happens all the time. Blessing & cursings coming out of the same mouth. Sometimes, at the same time!

JESUS DESCRIBED REAL FAMILY

And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.”   But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

(Luke 8:20-22)

Aha. Real Family, according to Jesus ... Jesus' Family . . . are those who hear the word of

God, and DO IT.  True families love one another. They cheer one another on. No betrayal.

No-one considers another "a burden".  You could insert 1st Corinthians 13 in here, because

the description of God's Love really fits. Thank God there are True Families out there

who really love one another, it's unconditional ... there aren't a bunch of hoops to jump

through to earn love. AND it isn't phony ... it isn't one way only.

Jesus also made a promise to his followers who leave all to follow him, for the sake of

The Gospel:

 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,  but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, aionian (age-enduring) life.

(Mark 10:29-31)

In the family of God, there is restoration and redemption of Family Life ... if your family

has been crappy to you, misunderstands or abuses you ... which oftentimes leads some

to "leave" ... God promises you "Mothers, brothers, sisters, children, land" and the rest.
I mean real-loving-people who care about you as an individual, showing the Father's heart.

For those who trust upon Jesus and have left all for the sake of the gospel, this can

happen for you! I have seen it happen, and there are many testimonies of this. Jesus

really does "feel your pain" and can relate! "He came to his own, and his own did not

receive him" (John 1:11). Let Yeshua heal you and restore all things to you, he knows

what is in your heart, and he can deliver you from dysfunction, trauma, abuse or

even having to "pay tribute" at the feet of some family "King". Jesus IS King! You can

give him your pain and hurt and wounds and he will give you freedom and peace

in its place. And all of that ... FREE OF CHARGE! 

Thank you for your time and for reading my blog.
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