Five things we should be able to count on from our Sisters in Christ

1.       Constant love in every circumstance

 

 

 

One thing that we should always be able to count on from our sisters is their love.  All throughout the Bible we are told to love our neighbor as our self.  If you think about it, we love ourselves a whole lot.  It is natural to love yourself and to want to be happy and take care of yourself.  We should also love our sisters….no matter what.  We may have a sister that gets out of God’s will and makes some bad decisions, we are to love her. 

Pr 17:17 ¶ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Ro 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

This verse talks about preferring one another.  In other words, we should prefer each other over ourselves.  Just like the old saying goes, Jesus first, others second and yourself third.

Eph 4:2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

The word forbearing means to be patient or self-controlled when subject to annoyance or provocation. So, even when we don’t agree w/ everything that our sisters do, or even if they get on our last nerve, we are to love them.

2.      Wise counsel (giving and receiving)

 

We ought to be able to count on our Christian sisters to give us wise counsel.  Wise counsel is not what you would do in a situation or what you did in a certain situation or what you think you should do in a situation, but what God’s word says to do in a situation.  It is our duty to be read up and prayed up so that if someone asks our advice, we are able to give sound Biblical counsel.

Pr 27:9 ¶ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

We also ought to be able to count on our sisters to take wise counsel.  If you see a sister that is making some bad choices and you feel that you can help them, please pray about it first.  Make sure that if you are give counsel that it is 1)wanted 2)wise 3)Christ-led.  It is very tempting to try to give counsel to an unwillinglistener.  In those situations, it is best to pray for God to open the door for you to be able to share your wise counsel. 

Pr 19:20 ¶ Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

3.      Encouragement in your Christian walk

 

The third thing that we should count on from our sisters is encouragement to walk closely with the Lord. 

Pr 27:17 ¶ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

There is a big difference in acquaintances and friends.  Acquaintances are people that you talk to and have conversations with, but your friends are direct reflections of you.   If you are a Christian, then your conversation should be Christ-like.  You should draw like-minded friends and be drawn to like-minded people.  There are lots of ladies at work that I can talk to or even have lunch with every once in a while, but the person I prefer is another Christian.  We are able to sharpen each other to a closer relationship with Christ.

4.      Loyalty

 

There may be times that you have something private that you want to share with someone that they might pray with you about it, or give you advice or counsel.  We should be able to count on our Christian sisters to take whatever we tell them in confidence to their grave.  There is no reason that we should have to tell other people’s business. 

Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

The word discreet means to be judicious in one's conduct or speech, especially with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.

Pr 11:22 ¶ As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

 

5.      A Prayer Partner

 

There is something about having a partner, knowing that someone else is asking the Lord for the same thing that you are.  It makes you feel more confident about your prayers and it makes it easier to give whatever it is all the way to the Lord.  We should be able to count on our Christian sisters at any time to pray with us or pray for us.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Mt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them

 

I’m striving this year to open my heart more to friends.  I hope and pray that I will demonstrate these qualities to my sisters in Christ.