A united family, a powerful family
By Silvia Carcamo
Extraordinarily, God knew that two are better than one, and that is why after Man He made woman to be his life companion. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 He teaches us that unity and companionship are superior to solitude because they offer a better reward for work and mutual support in adversity (helping each other up when they fall), warmth and protection, and greater resistance to attack. And God did it this way, and thus began one of the strongest bonds of love: marriage and family.
But if we talk about our daily lives, do we really have those people? Friends, coworkers, people who listen to you, people with whom you share special moments or difficult moments—they also become family. We’re nearing the end of another year, and I’d like you to think today: How many friends do I have? Who do I talk to when I feel lonely, or when I have a problem? Who do I call? If you have something good to share, who do you tell that wonderful news about a promotion or buying a house? Or who do you share your joys with, or your sorrows with? It truly touches my heart, as a writer, to always offer a word of encouragement, but also a word about the realities of life we’re living.
I always let my readers know—ask yourself, is it pleasant to live with me? Is it pleasant to be around you? Is it pleasant to share a house with you? Is it pleasant to work with you? Because normally we always complain and say things like, “Don’t they listen to me?” or “Don’t they talk to me?” or “Don’t they tell me anything?”
They don’t share with me… But are you a good friend? Are you a good wife or a good husband? Are you a good brother? Or a good friend who listens and helps?
The Word of God teaches us to do good without regard for who it is for. The biblical verse that expresses the idea of ”doing good at all times” is Galatians 6:9. It exhorts us not to grow weary of doing good, trusting that in due time the fruits will be reaped if we do not become discouraged. And I write this because many times as humans, we think that others are wrong and that we are always right, but I have learned throughout my life with so many experiences, so many difficulties and so many mistakes I have made. That I have to change first, that we are the ones who have to take the first step… Other people don’t see their mistakes, but if we can see our own mistakes, then it’s time to improve little by little, one step at a time. It’s time for new and improved things. We will be the ones who call first and ask if anything is needed; let’s not wait for someone else to help us.
Let us be that help that can help our neighbor, that can help our families, always with limits and I will always say it, for everything there has to be a balance and even more so for family and friends.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t be good people. Let’s be good people so that this month we can help someone, so that from today we can start a new season, totally improved, a new version of ourselves.
How can we begin? We’ll be reading about some habits we can choose to have a better life and a better version of ourselves, whether as friends, siblings, husbands, or wives—it doesn’t matter what we do, as long as we do it well.
