A lot of kidding around, some exciting disagreements, some hugs, some advice, some conflict, but a lot of loyalty - that's what a brother-sister relationship is all about. No one had better do his sister wrong. He is always her personal "look-out-forer." If you're a sister, it's nice to have a brother like that.
1 Timothy 5:2 is God's road map for relationships between young men and women. He says, "Treat the younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." That's not how our culture tells young men to treat young women. It's more like "treat the young women as conquests, as lovers, or something like that." God says they should be treated as your sisters.
Does that mean to tease them mercilessly or argue with them? No, the love of a brother for a sister, after all is said and done, is protective love. "Look, I'm your brother and I won't let anything happen to you that could hurt you." That's why God says that men should treat women "with absolute purity." "I won't use you. I won't push for us to get physically involved. I won't let my mind wander into fantasies that would reduce you to a thing. I'll guard your reputation. I'll guard your purity. I'll guard your character."
That is the heart of real manhood: protecting a woman from being hurt, from being used, from being exploited, from being devalued - especially by you. There is a critical shortage of that kind of manhood. The man who steps up to this kind of brotherness is a rare treasure, and like anything rare, he is very valuable. He stands head and shoulders above all the other men who are much more takers than givers.
How does this brotherness thing work out practically? It means that a young man focuses on developing friendships with women, not romances. It means opening the door to real closeness by throwing a sexual agenda for the relationship out the window.
If you're a young woman who wants young men to be like this, you need to encourage guys you know in that way. Dress like you want brothers and friends, not users. Talk like it, and act like it. Young men desperately need young women who will bring out the best in them - the brother in them.
If you're a young man, you need some sisters! Develop brother-sister relationships with the young women in your world. You'll experience a level of sharing and caring that the sexual conquerors will never even get close to. Treat her like family, like God's family...like your sister. The manliest men in the world are the men with whom a woman can know she is safe, that she is respected, and that she's treasure to be protected from anything that could spoil her.
Every sister needs that kind of brother. Let it be you.