God is cool. One manifestation of His “coolness” is the way He brings special people into our lives. One of His greatest gifts is the privilege of having a sibling(s). There are a lot of us who don’t have brothers or sisters, but that’s ok because God brings other people into our lives to fulfill those roles. This is one of the greatest benefits of being a Christian; you get to be a member of a gigantic family called the “family of God.”
Having a sibling(s) when we are younger can be tricky because of our sin natures. We tend to fight with our brothers and sisters. We’re territorial and selfish. Don’t you remember telling your sibling stuff like: “Get out of my room?” or “Don’t take my stuff without asking!” Some of us fought with our siblings, we told them we hated their guts when we were angry, but we didn’t mean it. We were just angry and said ugly stuff just to get back at them.
I have a sister. She has been and is one of the most influential people in my life. She has loved me well and she still loves me after knowing most, if not all, of my junk. My sister is older than I am. So, when our parents split up when we were young, my sister played several roles in my life. She was my sister, confidant, encourager, cheerleader, best friend, and primary care-giver.
She never faltered or wavered in any of these roles. Don’t get me wrong, we were normal and we had knock-down-drag-out fights as kids, but once we realized that the adults in our lives were not going to be there for us in the ways we needed, we knew that we had each other.
My sister is kind and hospitable to everyone. She shows no preferences (i.e., choosing a wealthy person over a poor person) and doesn’t play favorites. She is the epitome of steadiness. She is fun and funny. We make each other laugh in ways that no one else can. In fact, our laughs are very similar. You can’t always tell us apart on the phone. Our voices blend perfectly when we sing together and we create great music and harmony together.
She overflows with devotion and commitment. She is faithful to end and will work as hard as anyone I’ve ever seen. She is a totally devoted wife and mother. A faithful friend and she actually can be trusted to keep a secret. She will give until it hurts and then will creatively look for other ways to give. She handles hard times (like losing her home in hurricane Ike, 2008) with class, dignity, hope, and a sense of humor. She is the type of person you want on your side.
Thanks be to Jesus Christ she has always and forever been on my side. I needed someone who would be faithful and steady in my life and before my husband came, my sister exclusively played that role. I write this as a tribute to her … you see, today is her birthday. I am so thankful to God for this precious gift/person named Karen. I shudder to think of what life might have been like without her. I don’t think I would have made it.
Do you have a brother or a sister? When was the last time you told them how much you loved them? Why not call them or email them today and express your gratitude. Tell them the ways they made a difference for good in your life. Don’t withhold this precious blessing from them. They were an intentional gift from God.
Happy Birthday Karen!
(Please join me in praying for my sister and brother-in-law as they start picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ike. Thanks so much ... murphy)
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