[FamilyofGod] Am I My Brother's Keeper?
And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? He said "I do not know, am I my brother's keeper? Genesis 4:9
Am I My Brother's Keeper?
From the very beginning of time the word of God stressed the theme of brotherhood, and on the high priority of how they should treat each other. It often brings into question, exactly who is my brother, and how I am responsible to them, or accountable. If at all?
The word that Cain used for keeper was the Hebrew word Shamar which means to guard, protect, to regard.
When God asked Cain if he knew where his brother was, Cain had the audacity to lie to God, posing the question, am I to keep track of my brother?
God who sees all things, said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground." Genesis 4:10
Cain, was very mistaken. He had forgotten there is nothing hidden to God. God could even see his brother buried in the ground. He knew Cain's thoughts before he uttered words. He knew the sin and desperation in his heart.
God in this verse was letting Cain know.. yes, you are responsible for your brother, and accountable for what you say or do to him.
This theme is found throughout scripture. The royal command is to love one another as God has loved us (1John 4: 11). The word says, "by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13: 35)
So what does this mean to us?
It means I am your brother or sister. It means even if we disagree, you are to love me with the love of God, which is unconditional. How easy is this? It isn't. That's the point.
WE alone, cannot attain this level of love. This requires a servant's heart, stripped of pride and self-will and full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, wise beyond our years, full of the wisdom of God, and his Word.
This requires time spent before the throne of God in prayer, meditation, worship and reading His Word.
So what if we leave out some of these steps? Our ability to love others is radically effected.
One of the biggest problems I see in churches and among Christians now, is a lack of true love. No one knows how to get along, much less forgive each other. Everyone carries little grudges they never let go of. Oh, they say they do, but in their heart is the vestiges of those little lies about forgiving others, they have not really forgiven.
People have forgotten how to humble themselves and love one another even, or in spite of their differences.
One of the keys to a thoughtful mind turned towards loving others can be found, and directly related to one's submission to Christ.
What is in our heart the most, comes out through our mouth? There is no hiding the depths of our heart. Sooner or later it comes out.
What it should be is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with it's passions and desires. If we live in the spirit we must walk in the spirit. Galatians 5:22-25
You see, if we find we cannot forgive someone,
If we find we cannot love someone,
If we find we are constantly angry with the same person,
Unwilling to back down from our need to be right.
Then we need to go back to that cross of Christ and crucify those things which separate us from loving God, and loving Others.
You see, we can claim to be Christians, but unless we are growing, and loving, and learning, and dedicating ourselves to Christian pursuits, and Christian thinking and staying in the word, and being powerful in it, and loving and forgiving, we are not walking with Christ.
We are pursuing our own mindset.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifested. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. 1 John 3:10-12
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth, and by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
My friend, if you are unable to love someone, pray till you can. It doesn't mean they have to be your best buddy, or that you have to talk to them everyday. But it does mean you have to forgive them unconditionally and love them with the love that Christ longs to plant in your heart.
To do this, you have to free yourself from the past hurts, the past unforgiveness, the past angers. Let it Go.
Just give it away, piece by piece, and let God cleanse your heart and renew your mind, and fill you with His love.
Nothing ... nothing you can do, will make your Christian life more evident to those around you, than loving God, and loving others.
Remember
Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done, for Christ will last.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Love & Prayers,
Michael J. Knight.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
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