30 Day Sibling Challenge - Day Twenty-Five

Day Twenty-Five – Don’t Question the Potter
How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? (Isaiah 29:16)

Have you ever thought, “well if God made my sister or brother this way then things would be better.” Or question God by saying, “Why did you make my sibling like this!?
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That has happened in our home and I am pretty sure it could have happened in yours as well. Each person is knit together by God with different personalities, character traits, skillsets, and even conditions. An example of a condition is their biological make up qualifying them to have autism, adhd, an illness, or various things.

No matter the make up the Potter who is God has crafted and made them perfectly. As we grow in Him we will start to change by dying more to our selfish desires and seeking Him first however personalities rarely change. Conditions rarely change. Skillsets rarely change. This is because we are all made uniquely to fulfill different roles God has in store for us. 

It is wrong to question God about His planning and making of our sibling(s). This is hard to understand sometimes especially if they are dead set on annoying you or giving you a hard time. The good thing in it is that God does not waste anything. He uses those experiences to mold you more into the person He wants you to be. So don’t question the potter in defiance. Cry out to Him and ask for understanding if you must but know His ways are good.

Today’s Action
List the hardest thing you deal with when relating to your sibling(s). Talk over ways to make relating easier regarding the thing that is hard. Seek to understand one another though you may be very different.

Parent’s Action
Help them see their strengths and weaknesses today. Help them see how they can complement one another through these.

30 Day Sibling Challenge - Day Twenty-Four

Day Twenty-Four – Be Kind to One Another
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

What does this verse tell you to do? List everything.

How should we forgive?

Wow, if only the sisters we read about yesterday knew of Christ’s forgiveness it would have freed them from the competition and jealousy. Instead they could be free to celebrate the unique differences that God has made in them.

Search your heart; is there anything that you need to forgive? Anything you need forgiveness for?
List several ways you can be kind to your sibling(s) today.

Today’s Action
From your list of ways you can be kind above carry one of those things out.

Parent’s Action
Again, help them with this. Search your heart and see if there is any place you need to seek forgiveness with your kids.

30 Day Sibling Challenge - Day Twenty-Three

Dav Twenty-Three – Sad Sisters
Today I want us to look at some sisters. Their family was pretty deceptive. I think it would be safe to assume they grew up understanding manipulation as a way of life. After all we learn from what is modeled in front of us. We do not have to choose those ways in the end but often do unless we make a clear and conscious effort to turn away.

You will read about these two sisters in Genesis 29 and 30. I am not sure if they were close or not before the incident however, after the incident there was great strife and competition between them. Read the accounts of Jacob finding his relatives and choosing a wife.

What we do know is that Leah was the oldest, she had weak eyes which is uncertain to the full meaning but probably means she was not really good looking.

However what we know about Rachel is she is younger than Leah, had a lovely figure and face. She was also a shepherdess. Jacob probably worked side by side with her as he worked for his uncle. Jacob was really in love with her.

I wonder what it was like for Leah growing up in the shadow of the pretty one, the baby of the family? I wonder if many people made reference to this? I wonder if this was why she was not yet married? I wondered if it bothered her? Either way what we given to these sisters was wrong.

Laban tricked Jacob by giving Leah to him in marriage in the dark. In the morning he discovers the deception and is hurt and angry. Laban then agrees to give Rachel to him too if he agrees to work another seven years.

My thoughts here are how did these sisters handle this abuse at the hands of their father? Did Rachel just die inside knowing her sister was taking her wedding day? Did Leah feel like she had to go along with this? Then how did she feel when Rachel, the pretty one also became a wife of Jacobs? So many unknowns.
What we do know if it drove a serious wedge between then. An unhealthy child bearing competition started between them. Instead of supporting one another they were rivaling one another. Sadly having to live very close to one another in the process. It affected their children. Joseph in fact was a child of Rachel.
If these sisters made the effort to get along and make the best of what life had handed them perhaps their children would have gotten along. Perhaps there would not be blatant favorites. Perhaps they would not be prompted to treat Joseph the way they did. We cannot know. It is a tragedy they had to live in this whole mess. 

Romans 15:4 says that everything written in the past is to teach us. I believe this story can teach us that no matter what we need to make every effort to do what is right. We need to support and love our siblings. We do not need to end up like these sisters.

Today’s Action
What area is it that you are most tempted to be jealous of your sibling(s) due to their skills or make up? Is it beauty? Athleticism? Other talents?

Parent’s Action
Help your children with this. Help them truly support one another’s gifts and talents.

30 Day Sibling Challenge - Day Twenty-Two

Day Twenty Two – He Holds You in His Hand
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Psalm 32:23-24).

Did you know that God delights in you completely and not just you but also every detail of your life? He directs our steps even. He knows we will make mistakes and fall yet He will never let us fall completely, He holds us by His hand. Does that bring you comfort? It does me.

I know this journey will be hard sometimes. There will be times that you may feel like you want to be disobedient. You may not want to try to work things out. There will be times that your sibling(s) will feel this way too. Hang in there and cry out to God. He will uphold you and help.

It is evidence that we are desperate for a Savior and that is the reason Christ came. He lived a perfectly obedient life. He died on the cross so we could be truly set as righteous before God. He exchanged the punishment we deserved for His righteousness. All has been settled and all is done. It happened at the cross. So if you are His He knows your thoughts, He knows when you will turn the wrong way however He will continue to guide you and help you turn back. Isn’t that amazing?

If God can do that with us then maybe we can follow His example and extend that same grace to others, especially our brothers and sisters. Just cry out to Him He will help.

Today’s Action
Today is simple. I want you to pause five times today and pray for your sibling(s). Whatever is going on in your day, lift it up to the Lord. Maybe activities will remind you like when you do this devotional in the morning pray, then at breakfast pray, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Pray.


Parent’s Action
Encourage your kids in the power of prayer.

30 Day Sibling Challenge - Day Twenty-One

Day Twenty-One – Outdo in Honor
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10).

Love in this verse is a combination of two Greek words for love which mean literally (philos) to wish someone well and (storge) loving affection and loving tenderly (enduringword).

One way to do this is by counting the other person as precious and worth something in such a way that you desire to lead them in showing them honor because of who they are as God’s creation.

It would be a wonderful world if we spent our time valuing other people over ourselves by outdoing one another in showing honor. Just think of what a great world this would be! What are some practical ways you can do this for your family today? Discuss it. How could you show each family member honor today?

Even though people may annoy you from time to time it is better to still consider them as special because they too are God’s unique creation. No person is worthless but instead full of worth. Practice showing this kind of love within your family then it can move out into the world.

Today’s Action
What are some practical ways you can practice showing your sibling(s) honor and love today? Do these things.

Parent’s Action
Help them follow through with this and pray. Pray continually that these actions they are taking are making them closer and done out of a joy to serve one another instead of duty.