How to be a Sister’s keeper with these 7 qualities
A Sister’s Keeper :
One of the blessed roles God has given me is the role of a sister. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am a protective sister, and I am incredibly grateful to God for my siblings. Each week as the Lord leads, I will be writing about the different battles we may face on the earth, and how we must look to the Lord for victory. Let’s study about the Sister’s keeper qualities we must live by today.
And the LORD said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? Genesis 4:9, KJV
Abel was a keeper of sheep, and his older brother Cain was a tiller of the ground. In the process of time when it came to offer to the Lord , Cain offered fruits and Abel gave the finest of his firstborn flock.
The Bible says in Genesis 4:4-5 that when Cain saw that the Lord was pleased by his brother’s offering, the former was hostile.
The Lord warned Cain, and yet Cain went ahead and committed murder. It is after the act that the Lord asks him the question in verse 9- “Cain, where is your brother.”
Cain’s hard hearted, chilling reply is the very topic of today’s post.
The Battles within sisterhood
Who is a Sister’s Keeper?
Anyone who is willing to accept and carry prayerful responsibilities of their fellow brother or sister selflessly and wholeheartedly. No violent acts are ever committed to destroy their sister’s lives.
7 excellent Sister’s Keeper qualities:
1. A sister is not jealous of her sibling’s calling:
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Genesis 4:8
Cain was jealous of Abel at how the Lord was pleased with his brother.
Have we belittled our sisters in Christ who have chosen to be stay at home moms, or have a unique style of parenting, or who are still single?
Do we alienate people because of the color of their skin?
How do we treat those whose wombs are still waiting upon the Lord, or who have lost their loved ones?
Are we jealous of other sister’s achievements?
2. A sister does not complain about her sibling to parents, or other friends
But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Jesus and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Luke 10:40
Martha wanted to serve food to the Lord, but Mary wanted to worship the Lord.
So, what did a distracted Martha do? She complained to the guest.
Have we allowed the problems within our homes to be aired publicly instead of taking it to the Lord?
Remember, the Lord is a KEEPER and stood up for Mary.
3.A Keeper is protective of her sibling’s welfare:
Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes the disgrace [of his taunting] from Israel? 1 Samuel 17:22-35
Young David was sent by his father to bring meal for his older brothers and bring back news about them. As David reaches the camp, he hears the challenge put forth by a giant named Goliath.
So, when all the other trained men turned out to be cowards, this is what young David decides to do? He decides to face the giant and kill Goliath who defied the armies of the Living God.
David was the youngest and yet proved to be a keeper of his older brothers.
4. Sister’s keeper pursues peace, and build one another up.
So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth] Romans 14:19,AMP
The relationship between Naomi and Ruth in the book of Ruth always warms my heart. Two widows! One a mother-in-law and the other a daughter-in-law. Yet Naomi makes sure to find an extended relative for Ruth to marry again. Boaz was the kinsman redeemer. In a world where there is so much mistreatments , Naomi treated her daughter-in-law with respect .
Stigma in a society towards those we think are not similar to us is the very cause of hurts, hatreds, and hostility.
5.A sister’s keeper does not render evil for evil.
Even when Peninnah targeted Hannah, the latter made sure to release her sorrows in front of the Lord. I Samuel 1:2,6 .
Has someone targeted you and your family recently? Did it make you run to the presence of the Lord? I pray so.
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
Live in peace with each other.1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
6.A sister’s keeper admonishes in love and not in contempt
To admonish means to correct someone lovingly and guide them in the right path.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Proverbs 27:6,KJV
If your brother sins and disregards God’s precepts, solemnly warn him; and if he repents and changes, forgive him. Luke 17:3, AMP
“YOU IS KIND, YOU IS SMART, YOU IS IMPORTANT “
This is my most favorite line and it is in the book and movie called “the Help” where a beautiful African American maid, Aibileen Clark, tells these words to the little toddler girl she nannys, Mae Mobley even when Aibileen was wrongfully framed by the girl’s mother.
Every day we have the power to extend love and not hatred. Let us choose love!
7.A sister’s keeper prays, carries burdens, and intercedes daily for her loved ones.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16, ESV
Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!” Numbers 12:13.KJV
This is a cry of a dear brother for his sister Miriam’s leprosy from the Lord. Miriam decided to speak against Moses who had married an Ethiopian woman. Yet her brother Moses pleaded for healing.
—Have we formed groups/cliques and sidelined our sisters and brothers in Christ just because they are not one of us?
The next time a family member revolts against us, let us pray and intercede for that person and ask the Lord to forgive them.
Reflection:
-Have we buried our sister in a pile of hatred, and jealousy?
-If God were to ask us, ……… where is your sister? What would our reply be?
-How have we handled our rage against our helpless sister or brother in their time of need?
We may not be a complete keeper of anyone on this earth, but we are forbidden from committing any acts of violence, mistreatment, or slander.
The Lord heard the cry of Abel’s blood asking for justice. I have goosebumps just typing that.
The cries of those who we have knowingly wounded have reached the Lord’s ears. Justice belongs to the Lord.
Let us vow to use that sickle instead to plant seeds of joy, friendship, love, and forgiveness towards our fellow sisters.
Until we meet again here,
A sister’s Keeper,
Diana
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KellyRBaker
January 4, 2018 at 10:26 amThis is so interesting, Diana! The enemy comes to sow deception. We think it’s okay to tell what so-and-so did and justify it somehow when it’s actually slander. Love really goes a long way. These seven points are food for thought. Am I being my sister’s keeper?
Diana
January 4, 2018 at 11:01 amLove does go a long and selfless way, right? I am so glad you stopped by and took your time to comment. Happy New Year ,Sister 🙂
Brenda
January 4, 2018 at 4:24 pmGreat message, Diana. The sisterhood is such a valuable part of the family of God. Praying we remember to honor this gift of kinship in the Lord. Thank you for sharing today, Diana. Hope you have a wonderful new year! ♥
Donna Miller
January 4, 2018 at 8:59 pmI love this post!! Happy New Year sweet Sister!!
Diana
January 5, 2018 at 6:19 pmBlessed new year ,Donna ! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Dianne Thornton
January 5, 2018 at 8:19 amThis I saw a beautiful list, Diana. And a challenging one. I caught myself pausing to reflect on my significant relationships to see where I measured up.
Diana
January 5, 2018 at 8:26 amThank you Dianne:) Happy New Year , my blogger Sister ! The Lord keep you and bless you more this year
Lizy
January 6, 2018 at 12:25 amHi Diana
Thank you for the great post, love it ,
Waiting for the next one , happy and a blessed new year
Diana
January 6, 2018 at 12:36 amI am so glad to hear from you:) Blessed New Year to you as well
Shalini Samuel
January 7, 2018 at 6:36 amWonderful words to self examining just loved it…
N thank u for always making us learn new things from the things u experienced…..
Wish u a Happy New Year… Have a blessed year ahead.. Lots of love to u all… Miss u all…
Come soon…..
Diana
January 7, 2018 at 8:32 amI am so glad to hear you loved this post. God’s Word has a vast depth of learning experience for each of us. Happy New Year Shalini:)
Valerie
January 9, 2018 at 8:28 amI love your verse for the year. What a great post to help us remember to love our sisters in Christ well. Happy New Year!
Diana
January 9, 2018 at 8:33 amHey Valerie, so glad you stopped by:) Happy New Year ,Sister in Christ . Our battles belong to the Lord – such comfort knowing that right?
Carolyn Marie
January 10, 2018 at 11:14 amI thoroughly enjoyed this read! Thank you so much for the kind reminder to be my sister’s keeper all the days of my life!
Diana
January 10, 2018 at 11:18 amThank you for reading ,Carolyn 🙂 It was a gentle reminder for me as well , because sometimes I tend to forget
RebeccaLynn
January 10, 2018 at 1:01 pmIt’s so interesting that women, designed to be the most nurturing and expressive of care and love, have instead become plagued with such destructive behaviors toward one another. This post is beautiful – and so needed! Satan fears a strong, God-honoring family of believers. Women have such a unique ability to create just that. It’s time to set aside our flesh, and put on the nature of our Creator. Thank you for yet another wonderful post, Diana. xoxoxo Visiting from By His Grace.
Diana
January 10, 2018 at 4:05 pmI love your take on this post ,Rebecca. Women are created to be full of love and care and yet they do tear their fellow sisters down. Thank you for this thoughtful and amazing comment. Blessings 🙂
Meghan Weyerbacher
January 10, 2018 at 3:56 pmThis is entirely true. You shared vivid insights here and I enjoyed reading every bit of it, Diana. You are gifted in teaching!
Diana
January 10, 2018 at 4:03 pmYou made my day , Meghan 🙂 Coming from someone who is talented and great writer it means a lot . #sisterhood
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Dani | Free Indeed
January 11, 2018 at 5:46 pmAh Diana – I am blessedly overwhelmed by the exhortation in this post! Women in the church need to pursue peace and love over division, confessing our sins to our Lord instead of pinning them back against our beloved sister! Thank you!
Diana
January 11, 2018 at 6:38 pmPraise the Lord! Women in the church should stand with each other , supporting and praying . Who are we to speak against God’s anointed
Aimee Imbeau
January 11, 2018 at 6:24 pmThis is a great list, Diana. One thing I want to instill in my kids is to give other people the benefit of the doubt instead of thinking the worst about them right away. I think that could fit under #4. It just makes a huge difference when it comes to those little offenses that are misinterpreted. Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth.
Dawn
January 11, 2018 at 6:59 pmYou really helped me think about the story of Cain and Abel in a new light. Thank you! Slander is so damaging. We really need to be careful. Great post! Thank you for sharing at Grace and Truth. I would love to feature this tomorrow.
Diana
January 11, 2018 at 7:10 pmI am honored that you will be featuring this post at Grace and Truth. It is a message that is God-inspired for every sister in Christ .
Lureta
January 13, 2018 at 6:52 amGreat post Diana! I continue to reflect on your words and consider “Am I my sisters’ keeper?” Food for thought for sure. Congrats on your feature!! Blessings.
Deborah
January 14, 2018 at 2:13 pmWonderful post, Diana! Love reading these words of wisdom and giving thought to them. Sharing on my Facebook page. Visiting from CMB.
Diana
January 14, 2018 at 2:26 pmThank you so much ,Deborah for sharing them as well. The Lord keep you and face His face upon you
Donna Reidland
January 14, 2018 at 6:19 pmDiana, what a wonderful post! I pray we all seek to be better “keepers.” Thanks for speaking the truth boldly, yet in love.
Diana
January 15, 2018 at 8:26 amDonna, what a delight to read your comment here today. As sisters , let us always be a blessing in each other’s lives just as you are right now 🙂
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Tina Truelove
March 18, 2019 at 1:20 pmI don’t have a sister by blood, but I do have many sisters-in-Christ. Even sisters in Christ can harbor jealousy from time to time, but it is important for us to remember that to be a good “sister’s keeper” we must honor our sisters. Lifting them up in prayer and being supportive of them is important. Sisters are a gifts to be cherished. Thank you for the good advice.
Diana
March 18, 2019 at 1:23 pmYes, sisters in Christ must be honored and be keepers of one another letting go of jealousy and ill will. Thank you Tina for stopping by today