Daily Thought for Wednesday, August 24th

August 24, 2011

Brother or Sisterhood and You

Today’s Thought:

“It’s not enough to just be born a brother [sister] – you have to act like one too.”  – Lionel Shriver (from ‘A Perfectly Good Family’)

Today’s Quotes:

“He ain’t heavy - he’s my brother.”  – Father Edward J. Flanagan, the founder of Boys Town.

 

Today’s Question

Did you know if you were to trace your family tree back, as far as it could go, you would find we are all related to each other?  After all didn’t humankind start with Adam and Eve in the Garden?

Today’s Bible Verses:                     Galatians 6:2 & Romans 12:4-5

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

Sister Sledge sang. “We are family…” and there is a lot of truth to this proclamation.

In terms of humanity we are all related.  And though it may be cousins thousands of time removed: this fact is not diminished by its unquestionable reality.  By virtue of God creating man in his own image and placing him in the Garden of Eden and then taking Adam’s rib and making Eve – the reality is this, we are all descendents of Adam and Eve.  Even though Noah and his sons and daughter-in-laws were charged with repopulating the earth after the flood, their bloodline is still traceable back to Adam.  So though we are not all brothers and sisters, we are all family and have a duty, obligation and responsibility to each other.

However, as Christians, the family dynamic changes a bit.  Under the blood of Jesus we have all been adopted into the Family of God, and in God’s family we are not cousins, nephews, nieces, etc.: we are all brothers and sisters.  Jesus is our elder brother and then our place in the family lineage makes us all middle children, except for the most recent person to accept Christ as their personal Savior, and then they would be the baby in the family; but I’m sure that is a spot of honor that will be short lived until Jesus returns to call us home.

As brothers and sisters we need to be there for each other; loving one another and helping each other when and wherever we can.

“The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
THEN I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.” – Bobby Scott and Bob Williams (lyrics from ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’)

And also remember this:

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother (sister), he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother (sister) whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother (sister) also.” - The Bible (1 John 4:20-21)

Today’s Prayer:

Father, may I care as much about the good and well being of my brothers and sisters; as you care about me.