Sisters & Friends

by Cheryl S.
​from Virtuous Daughters, February 2005~Volume 4, Number 11

I believe the #1 ingredient to a blessed relationship with your sister is love. Let’s look at Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”   

.If you’ll notice, first we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind. By doing this first, it enables us to do the next: love our neighbor as ourselves. By loving Jesus first and foremost in our lives, we then desire to spend time with Him. And as we spend time with Him, we become more like Him. And as we become more like Him, we are able to love others as He would love them, because it is Him working through us. Imagine yourself as an empty pitcher. As Christ fills your life, He uses you to pour His blessings on others around you. 

Now, dear girls, most of you are probably thinking, “Of course I love my sister!” But I am talking more about the outward response of love, than the feeling of love. The response of love is a choice in any relationship. Sometimes that choice is easy, and sometimes that choice is hard. You see, when you practice love in your relationship with your sister, it takes care of all the other things like compassion, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, gratitude, and so on.

Let’s look at another verse to help us. Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Has your sister wronged you in some way? I’m sure most of you would say yes. Just as I am sure that you have wronged her in some way. Let your choice of love cover that sin. When you do this it brings glory to God, and it also fills your own life with peace. Furthermore, it helps you have an even greater love for her.

Lastly, are you and your sister two peas in a pod, or are you both night and day? Well, I have great news for you! If you practice love in your relationship, it doesn’t matter which you both are.  

May the Lord bless and flourish your relationship with your sister! And always remember that as you love and know Christ more, He expands your love for your sister, as well as everyone around you.