Sibling rivalry is not inevitable but improper parenting would have caused it in some families. Interestingly, pairs of brothers seem to trigger the most rivalry, for they are most often the subjects of comparison by their families and society. Moreover, identical twin brothers often have the most competitive relationship.
There are two twin brothers in the Old Testament. Owing to parental favouritism, they eventually became estranged. Let’s ponder the story of sibling rivalry in the Book of Genesis.
Ponder: 27When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 28Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:27–28 NET)
Post: Let’s post a question to God. “Lord, grant me the wisdom of eliminating parental favouritism.” Or “Lord, can You help me to reconcile with my estranged sibling?”
Practice: Let’s practice what you learnt. Ask God to grant you the wisdom of eliminating parental favouritism or pray that you can reconcile with an estranged sibling.
Proclaim: Let’s proclaim to others about your experiential knowledge. Share your experience with a parent.
