Having siblings or not matters in your life. Being born in a particular order such as first born, second born, middle child or other, it is important to note that personality typing is often tied to birth order. For example, it is common knowledge that stats that indicate the first born to be conscientious, type A personality, self reliant and sometimes bossy. So, it stands to reason that having siblings and experiencing the interaction with each can definitely make a difference in one’s life.
You cannot change the fact that you have a brother or sister . You could have multiple siblings. If you’re an only child, it was none your doing. Even if you have half brothers and or sisters, you had nothing to do with that so indeed, your siblings and who they are cannot be changed. Having siblings makes a difference in who you are even if you interact with them a little, a lot or not at all. The physiological implications of having brothers and sisters makes a difference.
Each of us who have siblings older or younger have had opportunity to develop ourselves based on those relationships thus our siblings matter. In fact, even if we do not have siblings, it matters as to how we grow up and respond to others. Only child people come into a room more of an adult because of having spent so much time with older parents. According to some research they are happier because of the lack of “fighting for space or their way” in the home, having no siblings for wrangling. Sometimes only child kids are depressed in the teen years and maybe because it’s at that juncture they are spending the night out and into homes who have multiple children. Maybe they wonder the why of it all?
There are many instances of sibling rivalry that could be told to illustrate. One such is that of the story from the Bible of Joseph and the coat of many colors.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. Genesis 37:3
In the Bible, one of the most famous stories of all time is that of Joseph whose brothers were jealous of him and as a result sold him to the Midianites for 20 pieces of silver. Most of us all know the story of how Joseph’s father had given him a coat of many colors and because of his half brother’s jealousy, he was sold. To cover this dreadful deed, his brothers dipped Joseph’s coat in goat blood and showed it to their father indicating that he was killed by wild beasts.
Ultimately Joseph was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharoah’s guard, and through a turn of events became Vizier of Egypt with great power. When the famine came, the severity of it caused those from near and far to come to the Pharaoh for food. When Joseph’s brothers came for food he recognized them but they did not realize he was their brother. In the end, Joseph, using his high position fed his family and reunited with his father and brothers.
The sibling relationship can be of a perfect nature or can indeed have rivalry. It is believed that Joseph may have received the jealousy from his half brothers because he was the first son of Rachel and they were born of another mother.
The relationship with our brothers and sisters are of great importance and very often set the course of our own relationships in our own personal lives. We often read of famous people and their siblings. Having a famous brother or sister would certainly impact one’s life. Having a scoundrel for a brother or sister could make a huge impact as well.
There is nothing that we can change about the fact that we have or do not have siblings. God set the course of our lives and to whom we are related.