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What advice would you give on cultivating healthy sibling relationships for older and younger siblings?
Definitely spend time with them, seek to bless and serve them, be interested in what interests them, and speak kindly to them and about them.
ReplyDeleteIt can be easy to make them feel like they are less important than friends or outside relationships or we can even make them feel like they are "beneath us". They feel that and it can put a wedge in a relationship. "A brother offended is harder to win that a strong city."
I completely agree with you Sara, I would spend time with them, and try to serve them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Kaysie!
Carley
I think having healthy relationships with siblings is an often overlooked blessing and witness tool.
ReplyDeleteJesus said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)
Honestly, when I see families out in public that have children/siblings that are kind to each other, I immediately think that they must be followers of Christ. You can testify to others of your love and devotion to Christ by your love and respect for your brothers and sisters.
As far as my advice on cultivating this kind of a relationship with your siblings, I would be reminded by this verse in 1 John 3:18 "...let us not love with word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
How often do we say we "love" our siblings in word, but in deed and in truth we are selfish and unkind to them, especially behind closed doors. Find special ways you can do kind deeds to your siblings, such as helping them with some of their chores without asking them to pay you back, leaving heartfelt notes for them in places they would easily find, making time for them in your busy day to chat and share. The possibilities are endless, and if you follow God's leading, I know He will show you special ways you can improve your sibling relationships.
Hello Kaysie,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as the youngest of two, I would definitely have to say family time. Or in this case sibling time. Play with them, talk to them, hug them, just be with them. My sister...being 12 years older then myself....always made me feel like I was "big" too. Sometimes when she would go out with friends, I went too. But, sometimes when she went out, I stayed home....whether or not I was happy about that is another story, but we must all learn our place! She always made time for me...she was always there. It was very hard for me when she got married.
My sis and I still have the best relationship, and I would call her my best friend. :-) Most importantly, whether they be older or younger then yourself, I would also say to have your relationship revolve aorund Christ. A relationship wiht him in the middle can only be sweet! I don't know if this is the kind of feedback you were looking for or not......
This is a sore spot with me. Indeed. I have one brother who is 2 1/2 years older than me and we have next to no relationship. Growing up we fought all the time and my family did not follow Christ. We were church-goers (my brother dropped out of that in High School) and out of everyone I'm the only one who has grown in Christ. My parents dont follow Christ. So the home is a spiritual battle ground. I have thought about this issue alot lately. My brother is in Iraq right now for his second deployment. I am convicted many times because I forget him in my prayers and my love for him is not strong. (how sad, but I'm being honest). I want to cultivate a relationship with him, but its hard. Its long distance (big time) and communication is very difficult. I feel like I dont intimately know him at all.
ReplyDeleteI have seen though godly siblings who truly do love one another, and I am able to learn from them and their interactions with one another.
Yay, i really didn't answer this question at all, but I suppose those are my thoughts and I believe I will gain more out of this forum rather than give.
-Kristy