God's Plan for Families

Apr. 11, 2009

Being a Servant to Your Siblings - by Annalise Metzger (16) Shares Her Thoughts!

High Expectations

Pursuits of a Godly Teen

Being a Servant to Your Siblings

Q. My siblings are annoying! They are so needy. I hate being the oldest in my family. How can you stand being the oldest and a teenager in such a large family?

A. I hear this question often, and even though it’s a common question, the attitude behind it needs to be discussed.

Without siblings, you would be lonely, life would be dull, you’d miss out on close relationships that last a lifetime and your heavenly reward would be lost!

Think for a moment what it would be like if it was just you in your family. No more Johnny or Suzie, but just you. No more socks to put on. No more shoelaces to tie. No more messes to clean up. No more sharing your food. No more cuddles. No more kisses. No more laughs or giggles. No more tiny fingers and toes. No more chances to show them who Jesus is through you!

Matthew 23:11-12 says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

If you want to be the greatest (and who doesn’t?!) you must first be a servant. We are showing characteristics of servant hood when taking care of our siblings’ needs. Through our service to our brothers and sisters we are being humbled, and God will exalt us later on!

Jesus came to earth for us, making Himself nothing, “taking the very nature of a servant.” [Philippians 2:7] Jesus was a servant and a leader. He was a leader by showing His miraculous powers. And by serving others, He was exalting His Father God. Shouldn’t we, too, be like Jesus? Let us not forget that we are serving Jesus WHEN we are serving our brothers and sisters.

Are you “taking the very nature of a servant,” as Jesus did? Are you humbling yourself through serving your siblings?I thank God that He blessed me with seven wonderful siblings, so far. Even though there are tough times, I know that my siblings will always be there for me, and I for them, all through our lives. How great it is to know that we will always be best friends because I chose to humble myself and become a servant to them!

~ Annalise

Annalise Metzger is 16 years old, the oldest of 8 and is a beautiful young woman of God! Unlike many of today's teenagers, she doesn't seek to rebel against the authority placed over her by God, but seeks to work alongside those in authority, doing what the Lord would have her to do as a teenager and young adult. She seeks to fulfill, and truly does fulfill, the high expectations set by God, by herself, and by us, her parents. She longs to minister to other teens, showing them how to resist the world's entrapment of rebellion and self-centeredness and how to live a life "worthy of the calling" they have received! We look forward to hearing more from Annalise on how teens can live life for God, setting high expectations for themselves using Scripture as a guide! Don't miss out on other posts by Annalise in High Expectations! Subscribe to God's Plan For Families

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Comments

Apr. 16, 2009 - Great post!

Posted by Tracy Grubb

Wow! You have learned a lot from God and your mom! You write exactly like her. The resemblance in your posts is uncanny. Great post. I hope my oldest has the same heart attitude when she's your age. :)

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Apr. 17, 2009 - Thank you!