"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."(James 5:19-20)
Why "brothers and sisters" is in bold :
The other girl in the picture is Olivia, my younger sister (and birthday twin! Oct 16 twins!!!:) Growing up, Olivia didn't always have other kids around to play with and my brother was always too rough with her so I felt bad for her and played her games with her (we are 6 yrs apart). She really loved that!
But problems always arose when she saw me as just her friend and kinda forgot that I was her big sis too. Conflict sprung when instead of just doing what she liked me to do with her (play games), I told her to do something or not to do something. So yeah, when the need arose I would correct, rebuke and challenge her, and she would always get mad at me and say, "I'm not your friend anymore! Don't talk to me!" Then I would snap back, "You don't have to be my friend but I'll always be your sister! haha. I'm your big sister so I'll tell you what to do and I'll correct you when you're wrong."
LOL that's just a snapshot of the drama in my family :)
*What I'm trying to say is ♫ WE-ARE-FAMILY!!!! ♫ So let's care for each other and love each other.
*Being family means that we should be having fun with each other but we should also correct and rebuke each other when need arises.
*Let's not esteem our bonds of friendship more than our familial blood ties (it is the blood of Jesus that binds us together) -> I'd rather speak the truth which may result in you hating me and you may tell me, "I'm not your friend anymore! Don't talk to me!" I'd rather do that than not rebuke you, stay silent, then watch sin eat you up and leave the devil to lead you down the path of destruction (hell is real and it's terrible!!!).
FAMILY FIGHTS FOR EACH OTHER.
*Let's not just tell each other what we want to hear but what we need to hear.
*Let's not leave all the "dirty job" (rebuking) for the staff. Because we all have some spiritual authority over each other's life (in the sense that we can speak life into each other).
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)
FOR REAL LET'S START & CONTINUE ACTING LIKE A FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12: 25-26)
Listen to this song below. (It's sung by kids but the message is really deep.)Here are the lyrics:
"Welcome to the family,
we're glad that you have come to share your life with us.
we're glad that you have come to share your life with us.
As we grow in love and may we always be to you
what God would have us be,
what God would have us be,
A family always there, to be strong and to lean on.
May we learn to love each other, more with each new day.
May words of love be on our lips in everything we say.
May the Spirit melt our hearts and teach us how to pray.
That we might be a true family."
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