“We’re all brothers” is a quip we used to say in high school football. I loved the meaning of this statement—we’re all in this together and will support each other no matter what! I felt the love when it was shouted for all to hear. A brotherhood is not a neighborhood. A brotherhood is a group of people bonded together that faces obstacles together. A neighborhood is just a place we reside. A brotherhood is a union or fraternity that joins forces to win—just like a team.

 

When I was a child, my older brother Steve was attacked in front of my younger brother Bill and me as we were walking home from playing ball at the park. The assailant was winning, but Bill grabbed our bat and began whacking the other kid over the head! No hesitation, no questions, just action—and Bill was only six years old.

That is what a brotherhood does. It joins forces to win. Peter tells us to love the brotherhood. Why? Because we are not always lovable. We can fight for each other and compete for each other, but loving each other can be difficult. The love expressed here is unconditional, no matter what the personality or circumstances. In Matthew 5:24, we are told to go and be reconciled with our brother if he has wronged us. He may be the guilty party, but if we love him we are to make it right.