This month I have thought a lot about the terms “Sisters in Christ” and “Brothers in Christ”. These terms both just strike such an image with me that I cannot ignore. To call someone my brother or my sister is to acknowledge them as my family. In a world full of dysfunctional family units, I think that these references go over our heads. A sister or brother is meant to be someone that you can depend on.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
A Christian community is more than a community, it is a family. In this family we share support, love, and trust. A sibling is closer than a cousin and, for most of us, closer than a parent. A sibling is a person who shares your life experiences and their love is strengthened through them. A sister or a brother is a confidante, a protector, and a voice of reason. In the Christian faith we can discuss our doubts, our fears, and can expect to be held accountable in our faith through this new family into which we are reborn.
Not a single Christian stands alone against the world. And not a single person deserves to be left alone to stand against the world. We should be strengthened by our family to reflect love and increase the size of the family. Each rebirth is a celebration of grace and a welcoming of a new sister or brother, not just a new friend, not just a new congregant. So stand strong with this family as you would for your own because we are all one body working towards one purpose.
KO is an international ministry that God has blessed us with here in West Texas. Through this ministry we are able to touch the lives of women who have been affected by incarceration of their loved ones or themselves.
– Kat McCoy