How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony!
~ Psalm 133:1
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This psalm of David was written for pilgrims trekking to Jerusalem for feast days, and if I understand sibling rivalry, I'm sure David was doing a little conflict management when he wrote this song! Can you hear the bickering going on as they traveled...?
Josiah, get your stickin' goat outta my way! Can't you see I'm walkin' here?!? You're always getting in my way...!
Who smells? Is that you, Benjamin! Dude, didn't you take a bath before we left? Walk at the back of the pack -- you're gross...!
Deborah, I saw you looking at Jonathan as we passed their family! Don't even think about it, sister -- he's MINE! Dad said so...(as she sticks out her tongue)...
Okay, so they're headed to worship, and the family fighting competes with the noise of the animals. Does this sound like your family as they get ready and then drive to worship services?!? (I know some of you are crackin' up, because it probably happened just this past weekend!)
It would be funny...if it weren't so sad. Family disharmony is frustrating and disheartening to parents, and can become a very large wedge between siblings. This wedge can get stuck for years, sometimes for a lifetime. And how sad when the people that God gives to us as our family are the ones we disregard, disrespect, and disharmonize with.
God says that when brothers and sisters are able to live in sync with each other, it's like the blessing of Aaron, the priest, being anointed with oil. [That might not sound very appealing, but the Bible says that the oil was precious and covered Aaron's head (even down his priestly clothes), symbolizing God's call on his life and His blessing for the work to be done.] God is pleased and gives His blessing when we can love our family members and work together in harmony. But is our "brother" just the guy who has the same parent(s) as us? Or is our call from God greater than our immediate family?
We are brothers and sisters with anyone we walk along side with, with anyone we share commonality. Many people feel as if they are family with groups they are a part of, whether that's a running club, a painting class, or the folks at the dog park that come every week. If they work together for pleasure or for profit, they will most likely come to feel like family. And family is a bond that glues us together, even whole societies together. We begin to care about each other, becoming involved in each other's lives. But when selfishness rears it's ugly head, there's bound to be trouble in the family -- whatever family you're speaking of.
Our God is a God of peace, of joy, of love. He is a self-sacrificing God for the sake of the whole world, and gave up His one and only Son, Jesus, so that we could be set free from the bonds of sin and self. So that we could be a part of His family. And He desires that we love one another with all kindness and forgiveness, because that is His character and the principles of His kingdom, of His family. When we walk in God's ways, we practice now on earth what we we will live out forever in heaven!
No one wants to be at odds with their fellow man. But we struggle with relationships...at home, in the workplace, even at church. We need to come to God and ask forgiveness when we let self get out of control, and then ask our brothers and sisters for forgiveness also. There is a mighty bridge between people that is forged when we lay down our selfishness and let God restore our family relationships.
May God bless you as you work toward harmony in your families!
Love,
Joelene
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