Brothers and Sisters

I John 3:11-15

11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

I John 4:20-21

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

My younger sister and I did not always get along so well.  Even in our younger adult years, we had some pretty ugly times.  Over the years, we have both matured and now she is a very close friend to me. 

Reading in I John this morning though struck me hard as it talks about what we are if we do not love our brother or sister.  Going out of order here, we are told that if we hate a brother or sister, we are a liar.  It goes on to say that you cannot hate a brother or sister, whom you have seen, yet love God, whom we have not seen.  I read this to say that if we claim to love got, but do not love our brother or sister, that we are liars because that means we really do not love God as we say we do.  I’ve been called a liar before.  It doesn’t make me feel good at all.  However backing up to the first scripture, our infraction is even harsher.  If you hate a brother or sister, you are a murderer.  Wow, a murderer?  Yes!  If you hate a brother or sister, are a murderer and do not have eternal life residing in you. 

All of this sits kind of hard right now as my relationship with my brother has been strained.  I love my brother and I know that he loves me however something has come between us that has caused us to have a strained relationship.  After reading these verses, I am convicted to be praying for this relationship. 

My prayer for you today is that if you struggle with the same thing, that you would be lead to pray over that relationship.