By Lisa Wilmore
Genesis 4:6-10: And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou does well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou does not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Arguably, one of the saddest accounts in the Bible occurred at the very beginning of time. Adam and Eve bore children who became part of their family, only to experience the unimaginable-one son killed by the other. While there may be some explanation as to why this happened, it was certainly not something that should have happened.
God designed families to nurture one another; to be loving, supportive, and to have each other’s backs. Families were meant to be kind, gentle, accepting, and patient with one another. Sadly, in above-mentioned Text, this was not the reality.
Briefly, Cain and Abel were both responsible for offering sacrifices to God. However, God accepted Abel’s offering but did not accept Cain’s. The Bible does not explicitly state why Cain’s offering was rejected, but it is understood that both brothers knew what God required.
Cain, filled with jealousy and resentment, murdered his brother. When God questioned him, asking, “Where is Abel your brother?” Cain responded with denial and defiance, saying, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What have you done with your brother or sister? Not only biological family members but those who are a part of the family of Christ, also.
Sometimes we may think of wrongdoing in extreme terms, like our aforementioned Text where Cain killed Abel. But the heart of the matter is deeper. The point to ponder is Have we turned a blind eye to a hurting brother? Have we gossiped about a sister in Christ instead of covering her in prayer? Have we withheld forgiveness, kindness, or compassion?
God’s design for family, both by blood and by faith, is that we care for one another, support each other, and live in unity. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” was Cain’s defiant response. But for those who follow Christ, the answer is a resounding yes. We are called to love, to bear one another’s burdens, and to reflect the heart of God in our relationships.
Jesus Saves!
