The well known phrase, “Blood is thicker than water” conveys the belief that blood relations are more important than friendships simply because of genetics. However, is this simply another saying, grabbled?
After writing the article, Marriage, A Covenant of Three, I closed with:
Looking to see how the Bears view family… What is your definition of family? Is blood really thicker than water or is that another spell? I’d love to hear what the Bears think! Lifestyle@BeartariaTimes.com
There were many great responses, but two stood out:
Thank you for the article encouraging growing and establishing families! The quote “blood is thicker than water” has been majorly grabbled. The original quote is, “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”
This means bonds formed with others by your own choice and will is stronger than that of those you may be related to by the “water of the womb”.
I love the people God’s given me connection to by way of the water from the womb. I’m very blessed. And, I love those that I have come to know because of our shared faith and beliefs about life. Family is love, security, trust, wealth, power… and being part of God’s family is the best! It means that you will always have those things which others who don’t know God worry and fret about.
Thanks again for the wonderful article 😊
-Chelsea
IG: @chelseajknapp
And…
At the end of the recent article on marriage, there was a question about the term “blood is thicker than water.” I think it is a grabble. The kernel of truth is that family bonds are indeed strong and difficult to replace. However, when people use that term, it is often to excuse poor behavior on the part of family members who are themselves failing to live up to that standard. It’s a way of getting nice people to stand down and not hold people accountable.
Anyway, that’s my quick two-cents. Nice article, by the way.
~Ryan Toll (aka Philosophical Bear)
Both of their positions were that “Blood is thicker than water” had been inverted by the enemy. Could it be?
Family being more important than friendship seemed to be a basic truth; of course, a family that lives together will be closer than friendships that may come and go.
Even with the knowing that most pain, sorrow, and abuse comes from family or “blood”, I still never reached the point to truly consider it a spell.
Ryan and Chelsea posed a great challenge to a common phrase mindlessly repeated. And, if true, it could be a powerful spell breaker that would enable relations of choice to be viewed as more important than ones born out of blood.
After some basic research on the matter,
I found that the earliest form of “Blood is thicker than water” did come from the phrase: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. ”
They were right! The meaning of this phrase is actually the complete opposite of the way we use it. The real meaning is that bonds consciously chosen, are more important than the ones you were forced into through genetics, or “water of the womb”. They flipped it using inversion on us once again.
Isaiah 29:16
“Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay..”
As all Bears can attest, bonding with those of like “minds” and “spirit” can be so much more meaningful and deeper than those of blood relations. I recently had a Bear over to my house to help on the homestead for the day and have dinner together afterwards. My wife asked me what his and his wife’s names were. I responded, “I don’t know; I only know his Bear name.”
Someone was coming over that we never met, to give hours of free labor and his pregnant wife even came over afterwards to join us for dinner. We didn’t even know each other’s names! They weren’t family, they were Bears. But, that’s exactly what happened, and it happens all the time in Beartaria. Blood is not thicker than water. However, a Blood Covenant is thicker than the water of the womb!
Anyone who’s been in war or a life threatening situation can attest, the bonds created in those moments truly go against the spell “blood is thicker than water”. How can one say their loyalty or bond can be any stronger than with one who is willing to lay down their life for yours? Many family members would not do the same.
Well Bears, this is what “Iron Sharpening Iron” looks like.
Two Bears on the “Right Hand Path” of Truth identified a potential “Grabble” or “Spell”, they took the time to mail me and share this information in hopes it would empower others. Well Bears, your wish is my command!
“The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the Water of The Womb!”
Amen to that, and Amen to all Bears who already knew this Truth. There is no greater bond than humans living in Logos under the Almighty Lord God by choice. Beartaria is here! Beartaria is in the heart of every Bear, and it is this brotherhood and sisterhood of Truth that binds us greater than the water in the womb!
Spell Broken…
