Brotherly Love
9/29/2025 (Rick):
Philadelphia is famously called the City of Brotherly Love. Ever wondered why? The name comes from two Greek words: phileo (love) and adelphos (brother). Put them together, and you have “Philadelphia.”
I’ve seen this kind of brotherly love unfold firsthand. By showing up to the prisons week after week, bonds begin to form with the men inside. Over time, they start opening up about their past, their hopes, their families, their mistakes—everything in between. We pray together, celebrate small victories, and encourage one another. I find myself arriving with eagerness: Did he make that call to his father? Did his child get accepted into college? Did he finish the book I recommended? And in turn, they ask about my life. The love and care become mutual.
This brotherly love has spilled over into other areas of my life as well. Years ago, I had a friend struggling with alcohol addiction. I was exhausted from trying to help, but something kept pulling me back. One day, in broad daylight, I climbed up to his second-story apartment and found him unresponsive. Today, by God’s grace, he has been sober for more than three years and faithfully serves in the Church.
More recently, my own plate has been full—house hunting, caring for new roommates (my in-laws), being a husband and father, starting a new job, and remodeling our front yard. Owning a corner lot is a blessing, but it’s also a lot of work. After a delivery of rock and mulch arrived, I was already dreading the task ahead. That same evening, during Bible study at our house, two of the guys asked if I was doing the work alone. When I said yes, they immediately offered to help. Honestly, I was surprised—they were willing to give up their Saturday evening, after I had been at work all day, just to lighten my load.
The following night, we shared a meal, worked side by side, broke a sweat, and got the job done. I can’t describe the joy of not having to face it all alone.
It reminded me of a scene from the Netflix series Sweet Tooth, where a character quotes a medieval proverb you may have heard: “Blood is thicker than water.” The original phrase, though, is “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” In other words, the bonds we choose—like those forged in battle or brotherhood—can often run deeper than family ties.
We may not have shed blood while shoveling rock and mulch, but our bond grew stronger that evening. And tomorrow, I look forward to sharing this message with the brothers in prison: to keep caring for one another with brotherly love, and to lift each other up in prayer—not only in the good times, but in the struggles too.
