I don’t know how my mother handled our constant bickering!
Reference: v. 1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: I love my two older sisters but as children we fought like cats and dogs. Everything seemed like a competition. It was always a race to see who could sit in the front seat of the car; it was always a competition to see who could get the first chip from the packet; it was always an argument as to who got the biggest piece of cake. I don’t know how my mother handled our constant bickering! My parents tried their best to keep everything fair – same number of presents under the Christmas tree, same age to get our ears pierced – but there was always one of us that felt hard done by.
Application: I feel very blessed to have two such amazing sisters who I also can call my friends. But so often, as we get older, siblings can bring their rivalries into their adulthood as well. Due to baggage from the past and competitions never ceasing, there are many families who are segregated and distant. Families can be difficult at times. Just because we are related does not mean that we easily get along. However our families can be a great source of understanding, support and love. God recognized the importance of family support when He had to correct Miriam and Aaron from niggling behind their brother Moses’ back. While it is not always easy, it’s great if we can love and support the members of our family.
Prayer: Lord, sometimes those closest to us are the hardest to love. May we learn to appreciate the attributes that our families bring to us and look at what we can offer them too. Amen.
Which member of your family could you reach out to?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.