“Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” -1 John 2:10
I heard screaming in the other room. Yelling, fighting, the dull thunk of fists on flesh floated not the kitchen. One boy runs sobbing to the sofa and buries his face in pillows. One boy disappears into the shadows of the dining room, anger and vengeance seething.
Both boys hit. Both boys yelled. Both boys are now alone.
Boys will be boys. But brothers need to learn how to love one another or they will stumble through life.
I give them Bible truth. I tell them if you can’t love your brother you can see, how can you love God whom you can’t see? I tell them a friend loves at all times. I tell them when it is in their power they should try to be at peace with all men.
Those are just words turned band-aids, though if they haven’t met the Friend who sticks closer than a brother; if they haven’t chosen to follow Him.
I go to my sewing cabinet and pull out some ribbon. Calling them together, I tell them they were born to be brothers, and learning to work together is their goal. Then I tie their hands together and let them figure out how to function.
What seems like punishment at first quickly turns into a game. Suddenly, scorned chores like sweeping the patio become experiments in team work. Sore wrists eventually end with two boys laughing and collapsing on the sofa to read books side by side, all tied up.
When I remove the ribbon the enemies have become friends once again.
They even ask to be tied back together.
I wish they understood that they are tied together by invisible cords. Divine destiny has placed them in this family. We are bound to one another for all our lives. Many people and friends will come and go, but we are meant for each other. Some day they will marry and new precious lives will be grafted into our family tree.
I long for the day they see His master plan includes each one of us loving and caring for each other. I hope they learn those truths before I walk on ahead to meet Jesus. To see my children tie themselves to one another in love is the the hope of my heart.
Every punch held back, every unkind word that is swallowed is one step closer to that day.
And so I once more take the cords of my prayers, tie a lasso in them, and cast them to heaven above. I will tie us all to Him again and again and again.
I wish I could tie their little hands to Him with a knot that could never be undone. But only they can do that by God’s grace.
I can’t help but cry out to God for them; my heart is all tied up.
