Editorial February 14, 1976 Issue

The "In-law" Relationship

Naomi Price

One of the most ancient decrees concerning family life is that a man shall "leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife." ^{Matt. 19:5;} Its origin is far back in antiquity, and Jesus quoted it to the Pharisees. This statement is just one of many in the Bible, the spirit of which, if honestly acted upon, would prevent all kinds of family difficulties involving the relationship of parents and parents-in-law with the younger generation.

In the closely knit family life of the Hebrew people the relationships of the members with each other, as well as the state of their health, affected them all. Incidents are discussed, varying from the duplicity of Jacob's father-in-law, whom Jacob served fourteen years for the privilege of marrying Rachel,^{See Gen. 29:16—30;} to the healing of Peter's mother-in-law by Christ Jesus when she was sick of a fever, a healing that enabled her to carry out her duties in the home.^{See Matt. 8:14,15;}

It is a widely held belief that relationships are on a firmer basis when the people involved are what human beings call "blood relatives"—connected by sharing the same mortal parentage. But Christian Science shows that in truth all are spiritual beings, the offspring of God, similarly related to Him as His children and with each other as brothers and sisters. Mrs. Eddy writes, "God is our Father and our Mother, our Minister and the great Physician: He is man's only real relative on earth and in heaven." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p.151;}