Brother’s Keeper or Brother’s Killer? 1of2 Pastor Phil Sessa

Genesis 4:10, “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.”

Do you have a brother or sister? The one thing that makes a brother or sister is having the same father or mother. However, being a brother is different from being a brother’s keeper. To be a brother requires no effort because it’s based on biology, but being a keeper speaks of a choice, care, responsibility, and a measure of ownership. God placed Abel as a keeper of sheep, and Cain as a tiller (keeper) of the soil. God gave both brothers the same opportunity of on the job training. In the Garden prior to his son’s responsibilities, Adam worked the ground and dealt with the animals. Now his sons would share in that duty, outside the Garden of course because of Adam’s sin. Adam failed to be a keeper of Eve. When the Serpent attacked her, he stood by and did nothing. When God questioned Adam, he blamed Eve for his fall. Now one of Adam’s offspring would follow in Adam’s footsteps by failing to be a keeper and worse off, because Cain would become his brother’s killer.

I believe that Cain priorities were misaligned. Remember that God disrespected Cain’s offering, but respected Abel’s with pleasure. If there is one thing men want is respect for their work. However God wasn’t creating a “feel good” atmosphere, but demanding a do good one that results in the feel good because of obeying and pleasing God. God is to be first (first commandment), and his Kingdom sought after first (Matthew 6:33). If our priorities are misaligned with God’s will, our lives are out of order. If one was upset seeing a toilet out of order, how much more does God hate when our lives are out of order? However when our priorities are in order we will love God and our neighbor by being our brother’s keeper. Are you a brother’s keeper or a brother’s killer?

Keepers bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), killers fail to carry and pile on more burdens. Keepers pray for one another (1Thessalonians 5:24; James 5:16), killers gossip and complain about one another. Keepers challenge, encourage, and inspire, while killers criticize, discourage, and exasperates others. Keepers help, killers hinder. Keepers forgive, killers hold grudges (Colossians 3;13). Keepers follow God’s design for marriage and family; killers take their marching orders from the world for marriage and family. Keepers love while killers hate. Keepers encourage one’s ideas; killers put a wet blanket on them and spew all the reasons why the idea “can’t” work.

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead”, (Hebrews 11:4).” I believe his blood cries out saying be a keeper not a killer. Can you hear it, and will you respond to it and be a brother’s keeper?

Until the nets are filled…blessings Pastor Phil