Blessings to you, Andi, and Nina. Glad you are blessed by these thoughts, and yes, I didn’t want to be regurgitating sermons, (though I might).

I am blessed by you and Andi, have been for many years, and so glad to know you guys. Looking forward to next time, whenever that might be.

Thank you for this post. I love it, because it is not doctrine-heavy, yet it penetrates the soul and the Holy Spirit uses it to minister to me.

Your insights are definitely from the Lord. Your examples and applications really bring home the truth that we all long for unconditional love.

If we could consider the need for brotherly love through the lenses of how much we desire it, then I am sure that we would be more motivated to give it.

I really appreciate your comments here. Godly insights.

Blessings…

Reading this article brings mind to my early childhood and the feeling of needing to be loved and accepted in a larger social group. I remember when I was in elementary school and had friends that I loved and cared for . They would sometimes go to be with other friend with no intention to include me. I was not part of the ‘tribal’ group. I would feel rejected. this kind of emotional pain runs deep. It would cause me to long even more for the “love that covers sin”. Pr. 10:12. That agape love of God. The love that never fails.

This kind of emotional pain at any age brings us to realize the contrast between human carnality and how much we long for the faithful love of God and intimate (fraternal) fellowship with our brethren.

” As the dear pants for the water brook, so my soul longs for You, O God.” Ps. 42:1

In us is that desire to to experience that ‘fraternal’ love of family yet it points us to our greater need of loving fellowship with our brethren and ultimately our loving relationship with God.

May we be like Onesiphorus…”The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.” 2Tim. 1:16.

Paul exhorts us to…”Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,in honor giving preference to one another..” Ro. 12:10. May we honor God by showing this kind of love to one another.

Thank you for inspiring such thought.

Much blessings,
Charlene

Hey Bill, Good article… nice blog. I never thought about the two words until you posted this. One thing that occurred to me is that one (tribal) seems to be something you’re born into and the other (fraternal) is something you joined (police, Greek thing at college, etc.). One had a choice and the other didn’t.

Not sure how that fits into your post, just an observation. Peace!

Thanks for the visit. I read your post in my email. I actually had the words meaning the opposite of how you interpreted them. No big deal, words sometimes fluctuate. The main thing is grabbing the concept.

I appreciate what you guys are doing on smp. Good to hear from you.

Blessings…

Blessings to you guys. That seed of thought was planted in me by Tim, and then the HS watered it.

God bless you guys as we get the bigger picture Re. the Family of Jesus.