Siblings

What is a sibling? 

A sibling is that brat of a sister that has to tell on you for every little thing - like throwing pencils at the ceiling hard enough for them to stick. 

A sibling is that brat of a brother that makes faces at you while you talk to your best friend on the phone until you say a nasty word and then runs to mom to tattle. 

A sibling is that sneaky brother who stole your last cookie when you ran to the bathroon.

A sibling is that lazy sister who only half dries the dishes claiming she doesn't feel good and then you have to finish the job alone.

A sibling is that person or persons that you grow up with that somehow knows all you secrets, all the times you have gotten a smacking, well, everything about you and love you anyway.

As children, siblings (the brothers and sisters of a household) are your worst nightmare and your worst enemy even though you can play for hours on end together without the first cross word and then an adult comes into the picture and everything changes. 

There has been rivalry between siblings since Cain and Abel.  (Genesis 4:1-16)  Relationships between brothers and sisters are very special and cannot be encroached upon by outsiders, especially not parents.  I remember doing something that my sister ran to tell my mother after which I can a good tanning.  That night as we were trying to go to sleep, my sister said to me "I didn't want you to get a spanking."  Give me a break!  If you didn't want me to get a spanking, you would have kept your mouth shut!  I can look back on many of those spankings as a result of my sister's tattling with a smile on my face and then there are those that I still want to pinch her for. 

The rivalry between siblings is normally a desire for the acceptance. attention, love or affection of their parents.  A daughter quietly reading with her mom notices her brother playing scrabble with their dad.  Regardless of how content the daughter is cuddling with her mom, there is nothing she wants more than to be playing scrabble with her dad - not her brother and her dad - just her dad.  I have noticed this quest for attention is normally instigated by the younger child.  I call it the "catch up syndrone".  The younger child is trying to catch up with all the attention the older child received before they were born.  Of course, you have to remember, I am the oldest child so my views may not really convey the thoughts behind the actions of a younger child.

As the older child, I resented that little bundle that now occupied my mother's and father's time and attention.  Of course that little wrinkled pink thing was cute, but what is it good for but to cause my parents to have no time for me?  The little pink thing had to be fed or it would cry, it had to have its diaper changed or it would cry, it had to be rocked or it would cry - good grief, I do believe that is where the term cry baby originated.  Now, everything was focused on that crying little pink thing and it could not even go to potty by itself. 

It was a time of insecurity and uncertainty, but in no time that passed and I gained a friend to make mud pies with, pick berries with, ride bicycles with, gather the first flowers of spring, and soon she was in the back seat cheering me on as I learned to drive.  It wasn't long before I was shuttling her and her friends to first one place and then another and by that time, all the disagreements and entanglements faded way into the background and were soon forgotten. 

It may seem as if you and your sibling will never be friends, that you would never even like your sibling.  But even those mean, hateful, tattletale, eavesdropping, selfish brothers or sisters will one day be your friend and you too will forget all the "bad stuff".  

So, the next time your sister snatches the remote and runs to hide, just smile.  You know you love her and she loves you or she wouldn't be trying to get your attention. 

Matthew 18:2-4  NIV

 "He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the knigdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Hug your brother or sister today and if that is too hard, just give them a smile - sometimes it isn't what is said that is important, it is those things left unsaid.

Happy Reading!
Belle