| Am I My Brother's Keeper? J. L.
Openshaw
If you are a student of the Scriptures you will recognize this
question as the reply Cain gave to God's question about his brother
Abel (Genesis 4:9). Of course God knew, as did Cain, that he had
ruthlessly murdered his brother. God, who sees and knows all
(Psalms 139), was not asking the question for his own information.
He was trying to arouse the conscience of Cain. But Cain lied to
God, thinking perhaps he would deceive God by his duplistic answer and
accompanying question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
But there is a lesson for us to learn here (Romans 15:4). It
is a simple one. For we too often try to evade our
responsibility with the same excuse, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
The answer to the question is a resounding YES. As it was for
Cain so it is for us in regard to our brothers and sisters in Christ
(Galatians 6:1; James 5: 20). You or I can't 'hire it out' or
lay it off as someone else's "job description." The excuse today
may sound like; didn't we hire the preacher for that? Or that's
the elders' responsibility, isn't it?
Look around you. Have any of you noticed the dwindling
numbers at our assemblies? Have any of you done anything about
it? Have you gone looking for those missing? Have you
called upon any of them? Have you sought to restore any?
If not, why not? You are your brother's keeper, and one day
you will stand in the place of judgment and hear God ask you what he
asked Cain: Where is thy brother?"
What will it be, oh what will it be; what will your answer be? |
