A Story of Sibling Encouragement
The Bible has many stories about conflicts between siblings. Jesus told a parable about a prodigal son and his bitter brother. Martha got irritated when Mary didn’t help her with the housework. Rachel was jealous when Leah had children and she didn’t. Jacob stole the birthright and the blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau. The sibling rivalry in King David’s family was so bad that one of David’s sons killed one of his brothers.
On Saturday, Ray and I headed to the Outer Banks for some sightseeing between our meetings with North Carolina homeschoolers in Winterville on Saturday and in Whispering Pines on Monday night. Yesterday we toured the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. There we were inspired by the story of two brothers and a sister who supported and encouraged one another — Wilbur, Orville, and Katharine Wright of Dayton, Ohio.
We arrived just in time for a ranger talk. It was the perfect start to a great experience for history lovers like us. First, we entered a large auditorium designed to look like an airplane hangar. A life-size replica of the Wright brothers’ glider and another of the first successful heavier-than-air flying machine ever invented in the history of the world almost filled the room. I was quickly fascinated by the park ranger who stood between his crowd of listeners and the Wright brothers’ plane. He was obviously excited about the story he had to tell and began by asking how many of us had ever wanted to fly. He then opened an umbrella and told us about his own attempts at flying when he was a child. On two occasions he had opened an umbrella, waited for a good breeze, and jumped off his parents’ porch, hoping to be lifted high like Mary Poppins.
Our ranger then told us about the years of work that Orville and Wilbur Wright did together to produce the world’s first successful airplane. The brothers chose Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (now part of the incorporated town of Kill Devil Hills), to test their research, their glider, and later their motorized flying machine. After spending several weeks there experimenting with flight in 1901 and 1902, they went home to Dayton, discouraged and ready to give up. Their sister Katharine encouraged them to keep trying. They did, and, on December 17 of the following year, Orville Wright did what no man had ever done: he flew in an airplane. By mid-day, he had flown the plane another time and Wilbur had also made two flights. That afternoon they telegraphed their father, telling him to release the news to the press. They also told him they would be home by Christmas.
At the end of his talk, our enthusiastic park ranger pointed out the difference between himself and the Wright brothers. He jumped off the porch twice and then gave up. The Wright brothers kept working on one question at a time until they solved a mystery men had wanted to solve for centuries.
Wilbur and Orville Wright worked together for many years both before and after their successful flight at Kitty Hawk. When they were near giving up, their sister gave them the word of encouragement they needed to keep trying. What might our own children work together to accomplish someday? I encourage you to help your children to love one another, to work together, and to encourage one another. You never know when their working together and their encouragement might change the world. The Wright brothers did and, through her encouragement, so did their sister.
Not all Bible siblings were bad examples. When Mary watched her precious son die on the cross for the sins of the world, she had the encouragement of a sister.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother,
and His mother’s sister.
John 19:25
and had the perfect end to a wonderful day,
one of God’s sunsets.
My relationship with my only sister has had many ups and downs over the years. Most of the time I wish it were better than whatever state it’s currently in. My two daughters, almost three years apart, are very close to each other. I’m convinced that homeschooling has played a huge role in that, since they are together much of the time. It’s so nice to be working in the next room, listening to them laugh and tease and encourage each other. I hope that as they become adults and leave home, they will always make time for each other, always nurture their precious relationship, always love and support one another. A sister is a very special gift.