Brothers and Sisters in Christ

“But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:48-50; ESV). God calls us to be brothers and sisters in Christ, by loving each other as we love ourselves and working together to do good works unto the community around us and to work together to make disciples for Him.

May 2nd is a day set out to not only honor the bond that siblings share but also to strengthen or repair broken relationships. The day was inspired by a woman who realized she had never properly told her brother how she actually felt about him until after his death. Brothers and Sisters Day is a celebration of the lifelong relationships that exist between brothers and sisters. It strives to commemorate family values in the spirit of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Life is short, and it’s easy to become distracted by the minor inconveniences that may arise. But our focus and priority should remain on our loved ones. This holiday is all about siblings bonding, enjoying, and connecting so that they don’t miss out on having a close relationship.

Aside from having blood-related siblings, we form close bonds with friends that become our chosen family. Through ministry groups, such as church, Bible study groups, and other worship opportunities, we are able to create God-centered relationships with those around us, and the relationships just grow stronger over time, and as we indulge in God’s love and purpose for us together.

Luckily, at CSU, there are lots of ministry opportunities to participate in and grow closer to Christ. Recently, Elevate, which takes place in Lightsey Chapel every Thursday evening, got together with the campus ministries at The Citadel and College of Charleston to create a big worship event for students at Marion Square in downtown Charleston. It was a beautiful evening overflowing with joy and peace from the Holy Spirit.

A way that you can get involved this summer is by starting with your local church; find out what outreach opportunities there are that you can participate in locally. When you feel comfortable, find out about mission trips you can go on with your church. These outreach opportunities are great ways to share the Gospel with other people while creating everlasting bonds and relationships.

Loving one another ranges from lending a helping hand to a listening ear. Be selfless in the pursuit of brotherly love with those around you, and the Lord will lead you to people that He purposefully set on your path.

Here are some more quotes in the Bible that resonated with me in the idea of us being called to serve our community through Christ, acting through His love for us as we come together and love each other as the children that we are in Christ:

• “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor”
  (Romans 12:10)
• “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
  humble mind” (1 Peter 3:8)
• “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you,
  you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if
  you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
• “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born
  of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7)

Zanelle Willemse is a senior communication major and is a spring 2023 intern with the Office of Marketing & Communication.

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