Am I My Brother's Keeper?

    

Am I my Brother's Keeper

     We don't often hear the phrase, "I'm not my brother's keeper".  It is an old phrase that outlived its popularity some time ago, but the sentiment is still alive and well.  We now hear phrases such as, "I didn't take him to raise", or, "I'm not telling him, he'll find out when he faces the consequences".  Different phrases are being used, but they are all saying the same thing, "I have no responsibility for anyone else".

    I would probably be, not surprised, but disheartened if I were to conduct a survey of a few churches and actually received honest answers about our responsibility for each other, particularly other believers.

     In this post, I will propose four responsibilities that I believe will make the answer to the title question quite clear.

     Responsibility number One: Love one another.

     Love one another rolls across the tongue and through our lips with virtually no effort at all.  Unfortunately, that's all it normally does, it rolls across our tongue and through our lips.  The application of this responsibility can be much more difficult.  To skip over the easy explanation and to get directly to what this responsibility is truly saying, it is about being able to make that decision that is best for someone other than ourselves and understanding that the decision will undoubtedly bring hardship to us.

     John tells us, "16By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.  And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  17But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him how does the love of God abide in him?  18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1John 3:16-18

     John is telling us to not pay lip service to loving one another but to love one another to the point of death.  That my friends is a serious responsibility.

     And what is required of us more than anything else including money? Our time.  It is my contention that our time has become our biggest idol today.  "It's my time and I have my priorities and no one has the right to ask me to give it up!"  Have you ever thought that I have?

     Responsibility number Two:  Pray for one another.

     Most of us have our established prayer list whether written or memorized.  This is the list of people and things we pray for regularly, or when we can't think of anything else to pray about.  How about we try this, keep your regular list, I'm not trying to say that our lists are a bad thing, but let's add to it?  Why don't we try adding a spiritual element or two?

     How about praying for Effective Evangelism?  Pray for effective evangelism for all our missionaries that we sponsor.  Pray for effective evangelism every time a Sunday School Teacher opens a book, and for you Pastor every time he steps behind the pulpit.

     Pray for effective evangelism for those that you know that just love to talk about the Lord and seldom miss an opportunity whether it is at work, at the store, or even writing posts for their blog.

     How about praying for a Bold Testimony?  This goes hand in hand with effective evangelism.  Paul wrote in Eph 6:19-20, "Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.";"

   I never really thought of Paul having to ask for prayers to be fearless or bold.  If he needed prayers for boldness, I know I do.

     How about praying for Spiritual Growth and Spiritual Maturity?  Again I turn to the Apostle Paul, "9For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;" Col 1:9-10

     What a wonderfully strong passage that we can pray over our pastors and teachers and each other.  Praying for spiritual wisdom with full knowledge of His will, and a spiritual walk worthy of the Lord. Pleasing Him.

     I pray that each of us can boldly proclaim to all who will listen;

     That God created the world and all that exists in six literal days.

     Man, in the Garden of Eden invited sin into the world.

     Man and the world have been on a downward spiral ever since     

     But despite our sin, God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to walk the earth with us and to live the perfect life that we could never live.

     Then He watched as His son was illegally arrested and tried.  And He watched as He was beaten and crucified.

     And on that cross, He became sin for us.  He and only He could ever pay the debt that we owe for the way that we have lived our lives.

     And because He paid the debt that we never could, if we trust in Him, if we trust in His payment for our sins, and repent, His righteousness is imputed or placed on us.

    So, when God looks down upon the earth, He does not see the sin and depravity that exists within each of us; He sees only the righteousness of Christ. 

     Responsibility number Three: Serve one another  

     True leaders, great leaders are servants.  So where do we look to find examples of servant leaders that we can learn from and emulate?

     I think a great place to start is in the scriptures.  There are many but I will settle for two.  In Matthew 20:25-28 we read, ""25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26Yet it shall not be so among you' but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  27and whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.""

     And Peter tells us, "10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1Peter 4:10  We are to use our Spiritual Gifts to serve one another.  

     Can you begin to understand the power that would be unleashed upon this world if every one of us grew strong in our gifts and used them not only to minister to each other, but used them in our prayers lives as well?

     Responsibility number Four: General Responsibilities

     -"10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Gal 6:10

     In this verse, we are told that we are to do good to everyone but especially to those who are of the household of faith.  That is you and me, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  

     -Be kind to one another.  Let's imagine getting a report card on this next verse and see if we would really want to take it home to our parents. "32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Eph 4:32  How did you do?  Are you taking your report card home?

     -We must edify one another.  What does the word edify mean? Merriam-Webster defines it this way; to instruct or benefit, especially morally or spiritually.

     How often during a disagreement or a debate does it turn into a shouting match, no more than a contest of one-upmanship that does nothing but create anger and hard feelings?  Is that edifying?

     What does scripture say about its behavior?  Rom 14:19, "19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another."

     And in Eph 5:19, "19...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."  

     Now just imagine, as you sit down to pray, as you clear your mind of all the hassles of the day, you think about your sisters and brothers in Christ and all the challenges this evil ole world can throw in front of Christ's disciples.  Life is often a struggle and spreading the Gospel will frequently exacerbate those struggles.  That's why we were told, "Especially to those who are of the household of faith."

     Considering all that I have written, and there could be a lot more, I ask again, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  I would have to answer, yes.  Not to the extent that we take over there lives, I believe I have made that clear, but yes, I am to be my brother's keeper.