Are You Helping Your Siblings to be at Their Best?

 [searching for shells in Florida]

If you are young and single, you have probably thought about the person you might marry someday.

Some singles make lists of what they're looking for. Others don't. Some think about their future spouse often, and pray for him or her. Others hardly think of them at all, and only awaken to the idea of a "future spouse" when someone amazing walks into their life.

But there is one constant: everyone has an idea, however undefined, of qualities or a list of qualities they will value in a future spouse.

“I want him to be the spiritual leader.” “I want her to like kids.” “I hope he has a sense of humor.”

Regardless of whether or not you’ve made a “list,” or if you will ever actually get married, there are some items that will be important to you if/when that person does come onto the scene.

Are you helping prepare your single siblings to be their best in marriage?  

How are you helping your brother to control his temper? 

How are you helping your sister to resolve conflict with other siblings? 

When tensions arise in your family, do you encourage everyone to work them out, or are you tempted to just push them under the rug and move on with life? (not recommended!)

These skills, and so many more, will be invaluable in a marriage someday.

I’m not advocating suddenly becoming a giant chisel in your siblings’ lives to bash off rough edges. :) But I am suggesting that you have a privilege (may I say a duty?) to speak encouragement into the lives of your family members, to prayerfully help guide them in a positive direction, to support them in their goals. 

Marriage prep starts now!

Let’s set up the next generation of marriages for success, before they’ve even begun.