What is it that drives our brothers to stand next to one another as groomsmen in a wedding? What is it that drives our brothers to travel three hours across state dressed in the fraternity tie to stand with another brother when one of his family members passes away? What is it that drives our brothers to fly across country when news of a brother’s child in the hospital is not good? What is it that drives our brothers to give up his night when another brother’s relationship ends on a difficult note? This is brotherhood.
Scripture teaches in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Therein lies the key to the brotherhood of BYX. “A brother is born for adversity.”
There are many situations in life where others can’t comprehend the adversity. They can’t comprehend the adversity so they just simply try to avoid the adversity. Within the brotherhood of Beta Upsilon Chi, we attempt to fundamentally teach our brothers that the biggest piece of brotherhood is simply just showing up. There are times when words can’t speak to the heart of adversity, but simply showing up and providing a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen is the grandest gesture of genuine brotherhood.
The greatest commandment given in Scripture by Jesus himself is found in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Within the brotherhood of BYX, we strive to create an atmosphere that stirs and deepens each brother’s affection for Jesus. We desire that the brothers would find real genuine brotherhood under the common bond of Jesus Christ. Men in our culture are taught from a very young age to not share their emotions and their feelings. We are taught that we are tough, we are strong, and that we don’t need anyone else’s help. We can pull up our own bootstraps and carry the load ourselves. It is our desire to move beyond the carrying our own boot straps to one that has brothers walking side-by-side carrying each others burdens and pointing one another towards the cross of Christ.
In the cross of Christ, we find a Savior who paid the ultimate price for our mishaps, Savior who was beaten and bloodied because He loved us so dearly. It is at the foot of the cross where we seek to have our lives transformed by the grace and mercy of Jesus. The revolutionary change in our lives has then given us a desire to fulfill the second greatest commandment. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We love because He first loved us. It is because of what Christ has done for us, that we seek to serve our brothers in the time of our greatest need.
Are we perfect in this endeavor? Absolutely not. Are we right in our pursuit of this endeavor? Absolutely. From the moment a young man begins pledgeship in our fraternity, we seek to serve the brother, build the brother up, encourage the brother in his pursuit of Jesus and in relationship with one another. Each young man grows in the knowledge of the Lord and deepens relationships with his pledge brothers through various meetings, retreats and missions throughout the semester.
The brotherhood continues to grow in active membership through cell groups, serving in chair positions, serving as a big brother, and serving as an officer. The brotherhood continues post graduation as brothers grow in their careers, their ministries and their families. Brotherhood is continually evolving and continually growing as we grow old together. Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” becomes a familiar verse for all the brothers as we are used by the Lord to challenge one another.
In the end, the founding verse of the fraternity, Psalm 133:1, reigns true: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” Our brotherhood honors the Lord by pointing the brothers towards Jesus, and teaching them to love one another well, even in the face of life’s most challenging adversities.
The BYX Blog 
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