My Sister From Another Mister

My Sister from Another Mister

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

“Remind me why I am lying on your dirty floor?” Kendra joked, peering up at me.

I looked down at Kendra, lying on her back next to my fireplace, painting the brick under the hearth as I perched uncomfortably on a step stool, painting brick above the mantle. We’d been painting for what seemed like forever, and we were completely over our initial enthusiasm for the project, even as an hour or so remained before we would be done.

Why, indeed? I didn’t have an excellent answer for why one of my dearest friends had agreed to help me paint my monstrosity of an ugly brick fireplace, but she had and here we were, covered in paint and slightly cranky because the project was taking longer than we had anticipated. It’s the sort of thoughtfulness she shows me on a regular basis, entering into the dirtiest, most uncomfortable parts of my life.

Kendra is like a sister to me. She knows my faults, has seen me at my worst, and loves me well despite that knowledge. She daily shows me the kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness described in Ephesians. I am safe to share my hardest struggles, my deepest fears, and my wildest dreams with her, because she will hold those vulnerable pieces of my life with compassion and care, while challenging me to be a better woman when I’ve fallen short of the mark.

In a world of “you do you” permissiveness with a heaping side of snark, we need to be women who embody God’s kindness, tenderness, and mercy to our friends as we stand firmly on scriptural truth. Whether we’re painting an old fireplace or offering words of compassion, we can reflect the love of Christ to a cynical, disillusioned world and stand out as women who have something different to offer. We offer Jesus, and friendship with us should reflect that.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Ask God to reveal one person in your life who needs an extra dose of kindness, tenderness, and mercy, and extend it to them.