"Because He's My Brother"

The other day the kids and I were driving to the church building to pick up Daddy from his office, and they started bickering like they always seem to be doing these days.  The one called my name, "Mommy, he just called me...."  The voice trailed off and I quickly heard the other coming back for a defense.  I snapped.  This was not the first time this had happened today and I was struggling thinking through how to guide them biblically.  So I came back with, "No more talking... I don't want another word coming out of your mouth..."  And as I said that statement a thought came into my head.  I finished with, "... unless it is something kind or good about your brother!  What is something you love about your brother?"  Silence.  That almost made me more mad.  But as I thought about the mental battle they were having (to come up with something they loved or even liked about each other when all they are focused on is what they don't like), I couldn't help but make a comparison and it made me sick.

This scene is repeated time and time again with our "Christian" brothers and sisters every where I look.  I have seen this first hand, on multiple different levels.  I have experienced it, on multiple different levels.  And sadly, I'm sure I have done it as well, on multiple different levels.  I don't feel it's necessary, nor do I want to go into much detail on this subject (I have no desire to open Pandora's box) but I do feel it necessary to give good news.  In First Corinthians Paul talks about the body, about how we are all made to be different, with our own different skill set, and how God has given different spiritual gifts for us to use them all to build up the body and to bring God the most glory.  I love that chapter because it gives me hope, courage, meaning, and grace.  I know I'm quirky, and that I think in a way that most people don't.  I know my faults, they are glaring to me.  I'm trying to still figure out my strengths, and my blind spots.  That is what my brothers and sisters are for.  To come along side, guiding, helping, encouraging, and supporting.  That is not what I see.  Too much gossip, criticism, tearing down, and discord.  How is this using our God-given gifts and abilities and our different personalities, ideas, and faults to bring God the most glory?  Its not, cuz we are so focused on ourselves and what we think we deserve, that we lose sight of our purpose.

So after about 5 to 7 minutes of not hearing anything from the back seat, and thats a long time for an 8 and 9 year old to not speak if they're not sleeping, I hear one of them say, "I love him because he is my brother"!!  THAT IS IT, I thought.  No matter what they do to each other, no matter how much they disagree, no matter how much they fight, no matter how much they annoy each other... in the end, thats all that matters!!!  We are apart of a huge family, with LOTS of brothers and sisters, but in the end we all have the same Father!  We all seek to bring Him the most glory.  So can we please just get the focus off ourselves and get busy doing our Father's business.

So often I think our pride gets in the way and we lose sight of our true purpose and begin to think that the lessons we have learned, or the way in which we have learned them, are the only ways that God works.  We put that on others and think they should learn or know the same thing and that it should be the way we learned it.  Or that they should know something based on our expectation of their knowledge or their position, AND we judge them accordingly.  How prideful to think that God works the same with me--with my gifts, my personality, my quirkiness--as He does with someone else, a sister or brother?  Just like my boys, they are polar opposites and if I think they are going to do or learn something in the same way, I'm going to be very frustrated (which I am guilty of).  They both add so much to our family, both with their strengths and weaknesses.  We need them both and love them both the same.

I almost cried as I pulled into the church building, repenting of my lack of love for my brothers and sisters.  Seeing through the simple example of my two young boys, that I was not believing the truth about God; that He is gracious, so I don't have to prove myself and that He is great, so I don't have to be in control.  So my prayer is that I begin to see better with God's heart, and love you because you are my brother or sister.