Friday, October 27

Sibling Rivalry

Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.

Solomon wasn't the only son of David to seek the throne. David's son, Adonijah son of Haggith sought the throne, too. In fact, when David was very ill, but not yet dead, Adonijah gathered his brothers and court officials to a ceremony in which he offered sacrifices to God. Such a gathering was intended to signify his ownership of the throne. But the prophet Nathan and Solomon were not invited to the ceremony. When Nathan heard of it, he informed Solomon's mother, Bathsheba, so that she might ask the king about it. King David confirmed that it was Solomon who was to reign after him. Solomon, Nathan, and a few select others to travel to Gihon, where Nathan would anoint Solomon king.

Siblings have fought since the beginning of time. The first biblical siblings, Cain and Abel, ended with fratricide. While most sibling rivalries don't end in murder, the tension can be real. 

When my sister and I were younger, we fought constantly. Truth be told, I was a bully. But only to her. We used to race home after school. I always got home first and I regularly ran around the house locking all the doors so she couldn't get in. On the nights when it was her turn for the dog to sleep in her bed with her, just as she settled down for sleep, I would run in, grab the dog, and run down the hallway to my own room, lock the door, and sleep with the dog instead.

Once, when we were quite little, a kid at the park told us about an evil, ancient Indian spirit. If you spoke his name after dark, he would come in the middle of the night and murder you in your sleep. One night, I tricked my sister into speaking his name after dark. It terrified her, and it made me laugh until I realized we were sleeping in the same room, and it might murder me by mistake. Neither of us slept that night.

I am thankful to say we no longer fight. We have become the best of friends, and although she lives in California and me in Minnesota, we Facetime every Friday for an hour just to keep up with what's going on in our worlds. We live very different lifestyles. But we don't judge. We just support. We listen. We give our two cents and then support whatever decision either of us makes. We love each other and would do anything for each other. So today I tip my hat to my little sis, and to siblings everywhere.

Narrative Lectionary Text: 1 Kings 1:28-31

King David answered, “Summon Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. The king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity, as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do this day.” Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”