FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
Is My Sister Really My Neighbor?
I hate to admit how much time had passed since my sister and I stopped talking to each other.
Several years ago, my 93-year-old mother became quite ill with the complications of Alzheimer’s. I was the designated care giver and during her care, my sister and I somehow crossed breakers over a few details of that care. The result was that we stopped talking – about everything. We had previously spoken at least weekly. We stopped visiting on holidays and the rest of the family had to endure the isolation that our silence created.
As a lover of God and follower of Jesus, you can imagine how the Holy Spirit worked on my heart during this period of disobedience. It took me a moment to think of the right word, but that is exactly what it was – nearly 3 years of disobedience. Not a day passed when I was not nudged by a song, sermon, or scripture to apologize for my behavior, ask for my little sister’s forgiveness, and seek reconciliation.
I am not a lawyer, but I do have some of the same nature. In Luke chapter 10 we are told of a lawyer who questions Jesus about the path to eternal life. Jesus asks the lawyer what the Law has to say and the lawyer replies with two commands ending with “love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus responds that he is correct and if he loves this way, he will live. The lawyer, however, can’t leave it at that. The story continues that to justify himself, the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus continues with the Parable of The Good Samaritan!
One day as I read that story, I was convicted and encouraged to make a simple phone call to my sister. If my sister is not my neighbor – WHO IS? I apologized, asked for and received forgiveness, and we started to laugh and cry. Two weeks ago, she and her husband came to visit from Pittsburgh! We are back to being buddies.
I am certain that someone reading this is struggling with a broken relationship with a neighbor who just might also be family. My encouragement is that you let your guard down and allow God to heal that precious relationship. It doesn’t matter whose fault it was. The Godly thing to do is to suck it up, act like a man, be loving (I Cor 16:13-14), ask for forgiveness, and seek reconciliation. My health and happiness have improved. My family’s fellowship is restored. My DAWG, worship, and witness are no longer dogged by this disobedience in my life.
It should never have taken this long.
A Brother in Christ,
Bob Eichelberger
