When Your Sibling Is Driving You Crazy

Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Thursday. Quick question before we roll. Have you ever had a brother or sister who knew exactly how to push every one of your buttons, and on a long summer day it felt like all of them at once? I'm Pastor Justin. So glad you're with us today. Siblings are tricky. You can't pick them, you can't return them, and in summer you're stuck with them a lot. So let's talk about what to do when one is driving you crazy. Here's the one thing to remember for the ride: do your part to keep the peace, even when it's hard. Listen to Romans 12:18. "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." I love that little phrase, as far as it depends on you. The Bible isn't saying you can control your sibling. You can't. You can control your part. You do the peace that's yours, and leave the rest to God. You're not in charge of whether your sibling calms down. You're in charge of you. And often, when one person stops adding wood to the fire, it starts to go out. If Jesus were sitting on the floor between you and your sibling, He would catch your eye and say, "I know they started it. Here's the brave move. Be the one who stops adding to it. Do your part, and let Me handle the rest." It's one of those long summer days where you and your sibling are stuck inside and the bickering keeps building, louder and louder. You can feel it climbing. Right there you make a choice. Instead of firing back, you say, "I'm gonna go cool off for a minute." You walk it down instead of up. You did your part. And usually, that's what breaks the cycle. This week, a couple things to try. First, next time it's heating up, be the one who stops adding to it. Second, when you're about to fire back, whisper, "God, help me do my part." Third, a heart one. Ask yourself, do I want to win the fight, or do I want the peace? They're usually not the same thing. Let's go back to that one thing for the ride. Do your part to keep the peace, even when it's hard. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And Carpool Crew, here's one for you. Ever have a question about God or the Bible? Grab a parent, go to carpoolingwithjesus.com slash ask, and record it or type it in. Your question might turn into a whole episode, and I read every one. And if your family wants the weekend episodes too, they're waiting in Carpooling with Jesus+, right in the app you're using. Before you go, let's answer this together. What's one thing you could do to keep the peace with your sibling this week? I love you, Carpool Crew. I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.