A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19
If you have siblings, how do you get on with your brother? How do you get on with your sister?
If you have a good relationship with your brother or sister, cherish it and guard it because close relationships are vulnerable to deep wounds that don’t heal easily: “a brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city.”
You find this principle throughout the Bible. The first children born into the world were two boys—Cain and Abel. One was jealous of the other and in the end killed him. Then you have Jacob and Esau, as well as Joseph and his brothers.
In the Gospels, two brothers came to Jesus because they were quarrelling over an inheritance (Luke 12:13), and we are told that the family of Jesus, that is, His brothers and sisters, said that He was out of His mind. So, if the jealousy of a brother or sister is a trial in your life, Jesus has been there. He knows what this is like.
The closer the relationship, the more difficult it will be to restore when it is broken. Here’s why: When a close relationship breaks down, the offended brother or sister will say, “Well, if something that seemed so good proved hollow, what is the point of trying to restore it?” Close relationships are vulnerable to deep wounds, so handle them with special care.
How is your relationship with your siblings (if you have any)? Is there any restoration that needs to take place? If so, ask the Lord to help you take the first step. And if not, thank God for that!
