Genesis 4:9
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Caine was in big trouble. He just bumped off his brother Abel because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice of a first born, choice lamb. Caine was also mad because God rejected his personal sacrifice of yucca and other stuff like that, which came out of his hard work on the ground.
Kind of ironic isn’t it that people would kill other people because of God’s favoritism? Oh wait. That still happens! God does have favorites. Also, He has favorite ways of doing things. He is Omnipotent (all powerful).
God created the earth. He showed Adam and Eve how to cover their sins, by the shedding blood. The old testament was written (and played out) to show why we need Jesus’ death on the cross of Calvary to pay for our sins. God killed animals and covered Adam and Eve with animal skins after they had sinned in the garden of Eden.
Killing an innocent first born lamb (Jesus) is our covering for sins as well. Abel offered a lamb, the best lamb to God, a blood sacrifice. This was a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice. Cain offered stuff out of the ground that he labored over. Fruits of our own work and hands will never save us.
God already knew Caine sinned. Only God is Omnipresent (every where at once) and Omniscient (all knowing). God saw Abel being murdered. By being a kind and gentle Father, God still wanted to have a relationship with Caine. He asked Caine where Abel was, and Caine was a smart aleck… “AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?” Wrong answer and an even worse attitude. Caine was in trouble because of his attitude and selfishness.
God probably thought to Himself, “Well, as a matter of fact, YES YOU ARE!” We all are our brother’s keepers. It’s in our job descriptions as Christians. We are to keep our brothers safely and with love. We are to love our enemies. We are to pray for those who despitefully use us. We are to give them a blanket if they are cold. We are to feed them and give them shelter. We are to protect them from bullies.
We all can be doing a better job at being our brother’s keepers. Finders keepers, losers weepers. We should weep over people we don’t win for Christ, or for people who don’t know Christ. If God let’s us find someone, let’s become the keeper of that person. Love them, help them.
I find that our best sermons are said when we don’t talk. Keeping your brother warm, safe and fed is a much better sermon than a half an hour lecture.
Imagine all Christians taking this to heart and really committing to being our ‘brother’s keeper’. The result would be overflowing churches with sober drunks, married ex-prostitutes and a thriving body of Christ. Pastors would be friendlier, bums would feel comfortable asking parishioners for help, waitresses would actually want to work the Sunday lunch shift, and many more people would be saved.
Are we at Pure Heart our brother’s keepers? Yes we are. We have a long way to go, but yes, we are. It all has to do with the attitude.
Love you guys,
Dean