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My story (164) “The Anointing of Brotherly Love”

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Scripture:

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
—Psalm 133:1

 

Reflection:

There are moments in life when suffering isolates us—when illness strips away our capacity, and we are forced to rely not on our own strength but on the compassion of others. On June 1st, I found myself in such a moment. Severe illness left me physically depleted, unable to teach or even face a computer screen. In that vulnerable state, I reached out to my supervisor at Liberty University with nothing but a plea for help.

 

What followed was not just assistance—it was community. Professors, burdened with their own courses and responsibilities, volunteered to bear mine. Not out of obligation, but love. Psalm 133 came alive for me in those weeks of recovery, as I witnessed the unity David describes: not merely peaceful coexistence, but sacrificial brotherhood.

 

Like the anointing oil flowing down Aaron’s beard, grace flowed freely from those colleagues. Their kindness reminded me of a deeper truth—Christian unity is not abstract. It’s visible in actions. It’s healing, holy, and humbling.

 

I later learned that the first to volunteer had once needed similar help. What was extended to him was now being passed on to me, forming an unbroken chain of mercy—a living testimony to the love of Christ.

 

Invitation:

Are you holding someone’s burden today? Or are you in need of support yourself? Either role can be sacred. Let us strive not just for pleasant community, but a unity that anoints, restores, and blesses. Like dew on Mount Zion, may our love descend gently and bring life to all it touches.

 

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the gift of fellowship—for the unseen hands that serve and the hearts that reflect Your compassion. Teach us to give, receive, and walk together in unity. Help us to embody the kind of brotherly love that renews strength and glorifies You. Amen.