Wednesday, August 17, 2011

My Big Brother

When you think of a BIG BROTHER, what comes to mind?

Big Brothers protect.
Big Brothers correct.
Big Brothers set the example.

At some point, we all wish we had a big brother. I did. I wanted a big brother to pave the way for me - to set the standards. Having an older brother in school is great. Everyone knows him and you get clout off of the things he has done.

There are differences in what a big brother means for each sex, but whether male or female, a big brother means "don't mess with me."

Some of you may have a big brother and your experience is the opposite of what I described...
That's ok.
It's ok because the Big Brother I'm referring to is Jesus. When we accept Jesus into our hearts by faith, He becomes our Big Brother. Revelation 1:5 and Colossians 1:18 both refer to Jesus as the firstborn of the dead. When we are born again we become children of God and we can call him Father. This makes Jesus, God's only begotton son, our Big Brother!

Now with Jesus as our Big Brother, we have some incredible clout! We have many privileges because of the things He has done. Just like that all-star athletic, super smart, outgoing handsome big brother who paves the way for us in high school, Jesus has given us access to unearned privileges because of His accomplishments. This is what we call favor and grace!
Because of the blood Jesus shed for us, we can boldly approach the throne of God. 
Because of Jesus' victory over death, we live victoriously without fear, knowing that we will not live eternity in hell, but in heaven!
Because of the power in Jesus' name alone, we can call on our Big Brother and anything not like Him must flee.
We can depend on our Big Brother to protect us, to correct us with love, to accurately guide our steps. We can look up to Him, follow His example, walk in the path that He has carved out for us. We can trust our Big Brother, have faith in Him, depend on Him to take care of us at all times.

I was able to share with my oldest son how God allowed him to be the big brother in our household and how he shares that similarity with Jesus. I know this gave him a different perspective on his big brother role and new feeling of importance. His smile told me so.

Stand up all you first-borns! Your role is of great importance. 
Stand up big brothers! Your existence is valuable beyond measure and your siblings are watching you closely. 
Thank you, God, for providing an exemplary Big Brother for us all. No matter who we are or the hand we were dealt, the opportunity to have the greatest Big Brother is here - don't miss out.