Brotherly Love at it's best

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, Honor one another above yourselves. " Romans 12:10

(I decided to share one of the devotionals I wrote back in 2005 because I was glancing through the little booklet and remembering the story made my heart sing so I wanted to share it. I hope you enjoy!)

One of my most precious memories of my two oldest children, Stuart and Amanda, is their first recital. It was a combination gymnastics & dance recital at the Capital Arts Theater – “the big time”.

Stuart was about 3 ½ and Amanda was around 2 years old. Amanda was really too young for the class, but the teacher was willing to take our money! Anyway, for the recital, they did a little routine to Willie Nelson’s song “Mammas, don’t let your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys.” They looked so precious – cowboy hats, gingham shirts, Stuart in blue jeans and Amanda in a denim skirt.

They were all lined up – I think there were 5 or 6 of them – all boys, but Amanda in her little skirt. They took turns doing forward rolls and other simple gymnastic moves. Stuart did his fine with that nice gymnast finish of holding his hands straight up in the air and returned to his place in line. When it was Amanda’s turn, she stepped out to do her forward roll and started crying. Big boo hoos!

You could see Stuart encouraging her and could sense the teacher doing the same at the edge of the stage. She cried and cried, but people started clapping for her so she decided to go ahead and do her forward roll – which she did successfully! Unfortunately, her little skirt flipped up in back and stayed that way. Stuart calmly stepped out of line, smoothed her skirt down and then stepped back to his place in line. Is that brotherly love or what? I was laughing and crying and so proud of both of them! This was before we owned a video camera, but God had blessed me with a vivid memory of that performance! What a blessing!

My prayer for today:
My most gracious and heavenly Father, thank you so much for my children. You have blessed me beyond measure with the three of them. Please help them all to maintain the attitude Stuart showed that day long ago when he put his sister’s needs above his own. Please help each of us to put others above ourselves each and every day. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

What did God say to you today through this verse?