Brothers and Sisters

My identical triplet brothers and I were all kinds of trouble growing up. When I was 12 and the boys were 10 my sister Natalie was born. She was a feisty red head with a big heart, but that did not keep us from harassing her on a regular basis.

Natalie was born with an extra tear duct in her cheek, just below her eye. My brothers and I realized this just in time for family vacation. We were headed to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and as quietly as we could, in the back of the mini van, we teased Natalie, trying to make her cry so that we could watch tears come out of the extra duct. I am laughing as I type this, knowing that it probably makes me a terrible person. Eventually that tear duct sealed off and we had to find other ways to tease our little sister. It was all in love of course. Yet, as soon as she fell, or was hurting, or wanted to read a book we were all at her beck and call.
In 1st Peter chapter 3 verses 8 & 9 Peter reminds all Christians:

8″Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
¹⁰ For, ‘Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'”

As Christians it is our duty to love one another and to be humble and compassionate in all circumstances. Why, because it is a blessing for you to do so. Not only are you a blessing to others when you care for them in this way, but it also blesses you. God has a way of making life work out that way, that when we treat others in a way that reflects Jesus, we are in turn a little more like Him. What greater blessing could we receive than the opportunity to be Christ-like to those who need it.

Just like Natalie was my sister, you are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Like siblings we may not always agree with each other, but at the end of the day we love. And that my dear brothers and sisters is how we truly live out being the Church of Christ!