The Big Brother

I just finished tucking my younger two kids in bed and let Caleb sleep with Lexi in her room in Emma's bed while she is at a sleepover.  I stood at the top of the stairs smiling at the priceless conversation I got to eavesdrop in on.  It went something like this:

"Caleb?"
"Yeah?"
"Oh, I just thought you were asleep. . ."
"Oh"
"Caleb?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't you just think these stars are the most beautiful ever?"
"Uh, I guess so"
"Caleb?"
"Yeah?"
"I just love you so much"
"Lexi, you're funny"
"Yeah, I am, but I think you're even funnier"
"Yeah, I guess I am the funniest, and Lexi, if you need to go potty tonight, just tell me and I'll help you"
"Caleb?"
"Yeah?"
"Caleb, I just love that when I wake up in the morning, you will always play with me, I have the best big brother ever"
"Oh"

I love the way they love each other and the way that Lexi looks up to her big brother.  I remember back to one of their first times together and feeling so excited that this little girl has a big brother . . .

“Where’s my big brother shirt?” is a question I heard often in those early days.  It had been washed many times since it was bought on the day she was born.  Just over a month after it was given to him, it was beginning to already have that faded, slightly stained and well worn, favorite t-shirt look.  Any day that he could, Caleb wanted to wear this shirt with honor, so proud that he was the big brother now.  He adored his little sister and took his new role very seriously. 

Sitting quietly in bed next to me one  morning as I was half in and out of sleep, my little three year old Caleb leaned over to his little sister and stroking her on the cheek, I heard him whisper to her, “Baby Alex, you’re perfect. You are just perfect, baby.  I couldn’t ask God for you to be any better.  I’m your big brother and I will protect you from dragons and monsters and trains.”
 

So often I see myself as unworthy before God and my flaws seem huge and overwhelming.  I can feel like I walk in and out of grace because of what I do or don’t do.  Yet, in Jesus we have a big brother who presents us before his father, our father, as always perfect.  He took his role seriously as the “older brother” to even give up his own life to protect us from ever having to be insecure in knowing where we stand before God.

 In those early days, Caleb didn’t analyze day to day or moment by moment if he loved his sister, in fact most of the times he was holding her or praising her worth, she had poopy diapers and spit up under her chin.  Yet, to him, she couldn’t have been more perfect.  Neither did Lexi question or doubt his sincerity because she might be a mess.  She just looked back at him with big adoring eyes, reveling in the love of her big brother.  And now, almost four years later, he is even more the "bestest big brother ever." Trust me they have their many "non-angelic sibling moments,"  but he proudly and emphatically fights with his nerf swords as the brave knight protecting his little sister, the princess, from the dragons, trains and monsters.  She adores him and he loves being the big brother.  Do you trust that this is how God consistently looks at you because of the big brother that we have?

Col 1:22

22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-

(from New International Version)

Heb 2:11-12

11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.