My three little brothers mean the world to me. Having them in my life has been one of my most cherished blessings that the Lord has given me. Although I am their big brother and I teach and guide them every day, they don’t realize how much I have learned from them as well. I wouldn’t trade them for anything or anybody in the world.

Being an older sibling has its perks, but it has its disadvantages as well. You get to have the company around you in the house, but you also have to share many things. They are naturally your best friend, but they will often get on your nerves. You will get to see them grow and they will look up to you, but you will often get blamed and take responsibility for their actions.

Overall, being a bigger sibling is a humbling experience. Despite the sacrifices that you’ll have to make, it’s always such a blessing to see your siblings grow up and become the person that God has planned for them to be.

A while ago, I had a life-changing moment at a week-long retreat that I was blessed to be a part of. Throughout that week, especially toward the end of it, God had put it on my heart to get more intentional with my little brothers. To begin to get in the Word with them and to build healthy devotional habits that they would follow for the rest of their lives. The Bible verse Proverbs 22:6 was heavy on my mind.

Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Immediately after that week, UNCC went fully remote and I moved all of my stuff back home. I wasted no time. That night, I started nightly devotions with my brothers. We followed an online schedule to plan what we talked about each night.

It was amazing! Not only did I enjoy it, but they all were excited about it too. They were ecstatic to hear about the Word of the Lord and to learn new things each day. It got to the point where I didn’t even have to round them up anymore. Once 7:00 PM hit the clock, they were all bringing their bibles into my room and prepared their hearts and minds to meditate on the message that was about to be shared with them.

Everything was going great until there came a time where they all began to argue about something that I can’t remember. I don’t know what it was about this situation, but it made me angry hearing them argue and fight about something so petty. I don’t remember exactly what I told them, but I do know that it went along the lines of, “All this work I’m doing for y’all and this is how you act! I don’t like wasting my time!”

Whenever I saw my brothers do something wrong like call each other names, lie when they push one another, or talk back to me, my big sister, or my parents, I instantly felt ashamed. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. Like everything, what I was telling them just went in one ear and out the other. I began to doubt the plan that God had put on my heart.

This is where I realized the problem. I had been so focused on trying to make my little brothers like me, that I neglected the true purpose of why the Lord had put the idea on my heart in the first place. I was trying to be some sort of hero for my brothers and to get them to be just like me. Instead, I should’ve focused on pointing them to the true role model . . . Jesus Christ.

A lot of us with younger siblings, or friends, are placed or put into a position where we’re supposed to be a role model towards them. We have to be careful about what we do and what we say because the people that look up to us will tend to copy what we do.

I’ve noticed this with one of my brothers. When I cut my hair off to get waves, he immediately cut his off and tried to get waves. When I started writing my book, he opened up Microsoft Word and got to typing his book.

My point is that, whether, by choice or natural cause, many of us have a direct impact on the actions of younger siblings or friends that look up to us.

There is no problem with wanting to be a role model. There is no problem in having a desire to lead people to follow in your footsteps if it’s something you’re passionate about and for a good cause. However, we can sometimes allow pride to get in the way of what the true purpose should be. We shouldn’t be focused on getting others to be 100% like us, but instead focused on getting others to be more like Jesus who is working in us.

If you focus more on changing people yourself instead of trusting that God will do the work, then your eyes will be blocked from seeing the results and the work that He is doing. You will be so focused on what you seem to be doing wrong, that you won’t notice the things that God is doing right. It will bring upon you a shameful feeling that could potentially derail you from the plan that God has set forth for you in your life.

Everything we do should be intended to bring glory to God, including the way we act. When we dive into the Word with someone, specifically someone that views us as a role model, our intent shouldn’t be to bring awareness to ourselves but to bring awareness and awe to Jesus and the work that He continues to do.

When I look at my little brothers, I would be lying if I said that I didn’t see myself in them. But it’s not because of anything I’ve done. It’s because the same amazing work that Jesus continues to do in me, He is also doing in my brothers. Once I stopped focusing on myself and focused on Jesus, my eyes were opened to see Jesus working.

Don’t dwell on what you’ve done wrong. Instead, focus on everything Jesus has done right.

As important as it is to plant the seed and share the Word with others, it’s even more important to trust that God will grow that seed into something amazing. As important as it is to tell others to do the right thing, it’s even more important to make sure that you help guide them towards Whom they should be doing the right thing for.

When we become more like Jesus, leading becomes way easier. Not necessarily in the working aspect of it, but it relieves us of unnecessary pressure we put on ourselves to be some kind of hero. Trying to be a hero will always fail because we aren’t capable of being heroes. We aren’t capable of changing anyone. But that’s the beautiful thing about it. We’re not called to save or change anyone. Instead, we’re called to help lead people to the One who does.

I encourage you all to introduce someone to the Savior this week. Keep in contact with them and observe the work that God does in their lives. You will be amazed.

God bless!

 

Related Bible Verses to Help

Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. (Titus 2:7)