It was a beautiful evening and I had an important, special event to go to. I rushed into my room and brushed out my hair. I put on my lipstick and curled my eyelashes. I primped and prepared and brushed and blushed in front of the mirror. I fixed my hair and donned my dress added the finishing touches and looked myself over in the mirror. As I gazed through the glass I looked at the reflection of a small quiet person behind me. It was my little sister. She had sat the whole time and watched me beautify myself in all my vanity. I turned around to look at her and she smiled up at me.

“You look…beautiful.” She said, before skipping out of my room. On the way to the event, while I was there and the whole way back I thought about what I must have looked like to my little sister. I thought about what she must have been thinking. Then I began imaging her telling her children about me. This may seem over-dramatized but I seriously started considering my career as a sister.

I have two younger sisters who I know look up to me.  They watch everything I do and say. They watch to see how I will submit to my older brother and mom and dad. They watch how I treat others; they watch how I consider life and they watch what I believe and if what I say and do line up with what I believe. They literally see everything I do and how I do it. (No pressure…RIGHT?)

I have 14 solid years in my career as an older sister to my younger sisters. But only 3 of them should count; because up until 3 years ago, I didn’t take my career seriously. I didn’t recognize the affect my character and example had on Hannah (14) and Cali (10).

It’s time to take our calling as sisters as a serious matter now. Whether you have 1, 2, 3, or 10 younger siblings, you are held accountable for their future, almost as much as your parents are.  You will be engrained in their memory, you will be a role model to them, and you HAVE to try to make it count! Whether you are a good or bad memory, whether you’re a joyful example or a sour one is up to you. I don’t want my little sisters to grow up being vain and egocentric because of me, and there are some things about my character that I wouldn’t want them to copy. So, as a leading example in their lives and out of a godly ambition to serve and bless my sisters, I deny myself and put to death selfish ways and desires through the help of my all powerful Savior. You can too.

How can I instill biblical truths and foundations in my sisters through my imperfect example? There aren’t any bible verses that talk about older sisters and younger sisters. So, what can we do? The answer is simple but profound. Read Titus 2. It says “the older women likewise…admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”
It says “older women”. Paul doesn’t mean 50 years or older. To me, this means any woman older than another woman. I’m older than my sisters; therefore this verse applies to me. It applies to you too, if you have sisters younger than you.

You can teach your sisters the wisdom that you’ve learned over the years! Don’t be afraid to take on this responsibility. It can do so much more good than bad. I remember when I first started wanting to help instruct my little sisters that I was afraid they might see me as a fraud. A “hippycrit” (hypocrite) Cali called me once! But by God’s good grace, I have had a huge influence on my little friends. I try to read a devotional or Bible-study to them every morning. I bake with them in the kitchen, I play dolls with them when I get the chance, sing, chase them around and have major pillow fights!

Any time spent with your sisters is an investment in their future.  It doesn’t matter if you are just messing around with them or if you’re having an in-depth conversation about relationships with boys. Anything you say or do, they will take to heart. It’s a natural thing for young girls to be influenced by their older sisters. Sure, it can be hard sometimes and a lot of times we can be selfish and want “me time”! But God is good. He trusts you with your little sister’s heart and wants you to be involved with their spiritual, mental and physical growth.

There are lots of things you can do to get involved in your little sisters life. Find a book to read out loud together. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott would be a great book to read together. Pray about it, read about it, and begin today.

I would love to hear from you about your thoughts on this article. Do you have a younger sister? Do you spend time together on a regular basis? Are you ready to accept your career in older sisterhood?

Ask me questions and tell me your stories! I would love to read your comments… =)

God bless and good luck, Sis!
~Lisa