I AM BLOGGING THIS IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXAMINE AND ANSWER THE AGE OLD QUESTION, “ AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”
IN SCRIPTURE, THIS QUESTION IS FOUND IN GENESIS, CHPT. 4 VERSE 9. IN THIS TEXT, GOD CONFRONTS CAIN AFTER HE HAS KILLED HIS BROTHER ABEL. GOD ASKED CAIN, “WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?” & CAIN ANSWERS …“AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”
IN AN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, FIRST, LET US EXAMINE, “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KEEPER”: THE TRANSLATION OF KEEPER IN HEBREW IS SHAMAR. IN IT’S VERB TENSE, IT MEANS TO GUARD, TO PROTECT, TO KEEP OR TO WATCH OVER; TO CARE FOR AS A PARENT DOES FOR A CHILD.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS DESCRIPTION ALONE, THE GRAVITY OF THE DUTIES OF A SHAMAR ARE GREAT.
THEY ARE LIKENED UNTO THE MANDATE IN PHILIPPIANS CHPT. 2 VERSE 4, WHICH READS, “LOOK NOT EVERY MAN ON HIS OWN THINGS, BUT EVERY MAN ALSO ON THE THINGS OF OTHERS”.
IN CONTEXT, CHPT 2 OF THIS BOOK LETS US KNOW THAT JUST AS JESUS WAS AND IS A SERVANT TO MANKIND AND THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERY TO BE SO, SO SHOULD WE BE ONE TO ANOTHER. THIS BEING ESTABLISHED, THE NEXT THING TO CONSIDERED WOULD BE ...WHO IS MY BROTHER/SISTER?
JESUS ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION IN MARK CHPT 3 VERSES 31-35 ,AS HE SAT AMONGST HIS FRIENDS AND FOES. HERE, HIS MOTHER AND BROTHER COME LOOKING FOR HIM AND THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE THAT SAT WITH HIM BEGIN TO SAY, “YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHER ARE LOOKING FOR YOU”, TO THAT HE RESPONDS, “WHO IS MY MOTHER OR MY BRETHREN?” HE THEN LOOKS ALL AROUND HIMSELF AND STATES, “BEHOLD, MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS. FOR WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IS MY BROTHER, MY SISTER AND SO ON”. IN OTHER WORDS, THOSE WHO BELIEVE AS I DO, OR HAVE THINGS IN COMMON WITH ME, TO THEM SHALL I BE THEIR SHAMAR. AND THIS IS STILL THE MIND-SET OF THE CHURCH TODAY. ONLY THOSE IN OUR INNER CIRCLES. THOSE IN OUR FAMILIES, IN OUR CHURCHES AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES, DO WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THIS “CLANNISH” MENTALITY IS A MISCONCEPTION OF JESUS'S TEACHINGS AND UNFORTUNATELY, IS HOW WE TREAT THOSE WE CONSIDER OUTSIDERS – NOT BELONGING TO THE CHURCH OR HAVING A FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CHURCH AND SO ON - IF WE ARE HONEST WE DON’T REALLY CONSIDER THEM TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT, I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THIS MENTALITY IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH JESUS’S CONCEPT ABOUT WHO OUR BROTHERS ARE. IN FACT, HIS IDEA OF WHO ARE BROTHERS ARE GOES BEYOND OUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLES – THE SCRIPTURE MAKES THIS CLEAR IN ACTS CHPT 1 VERSE 8 WHERE JESUS COMMAND US TO BE WITNESSES OF HIS GOSPEL UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH FOR THE SAVING OF SOULS. IT MATTERS NOT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM. FROM THE UTTERMOST TO THE GUTTER MOST WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
NO CLEARER ILLUSTRATION OF THIS IS GIVEN THAN THAT OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN LUKE CHPT. 10 VERSES 29-37. HERE, AGAIN THE QUESTION IS ASKED, “WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?’
THIS TIME BY A JEWISH LAWYER WHO KNEW THAT ACCORDING TO LAW, A HEBREW WAS NOT TO ATTEND TO, CARE FOR OR WATCH OVER ANY ONE IN NEED OUTSIDE THE HEBREW RACE.
HOWEVER, IN THIS STORY, WE SEE THE ONE IN NEED OF HELP TO BE A HEBREW. AND, A PRIEST AND A LEVITE CAME AT SEPARATE TIMES AND SAW HIS NEED. ALTHOUGH, IT WAS NOT ONLY PERMISSIBLE, BUT ALSO LAWFUL FOR EITHER OF THEM TO HAVE ATTENDED TO THIS HEBREW’S NEED. UNFORTUNATELY, WE SEE THAT NEITHER OF THEM WERE THEIR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
THEN, JEUS SAYS A SAMARITAN WITH WHOM THE JEWS HAD NO DEALINGS CAME ALONG. AND, NOT ONLY DID THIS SAMARITAN ATTEND TO THE HEBREW’S IMMEDIATE NEED, BUT HE PROVIDED SHELTER FOR HIM AND MADE PROVISION FOR HIS FUTURE NEEDS. TO HIM HE WAS HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER. HERE WE SEE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE TO BE A KEEPER TO THOSE WITHIN OUR HOUSEHOLDS, OUR INNER-CIRCLES AND SUCH, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT.
GALATIANS 6:10 AMP. VERSION, READS, “ So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[i]morally] to ALL people [not only [j]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage].
FINALLY. BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY IT CARRIES, BEING A SHAMAR IS SOMETHING WE COULD SAY, MORE EASILY SAID THAN DONE. YES, JESUS IS A SHAMAR TO US ALL, BUT AFTER ALL HE IS JESUS, THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. SO, THE THING TO CONSIDER NOW WOULD BE: “CAN WE BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER OR “DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY OR CAPABILITY TO ACTUALLY TO BE A SHAMAR?”
SCRIPTURE TELLS US IN THE BOOK OF JOHN THAT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ON JESUS, THE WORKS THAT HE DID AND GREATER WORKS SHALL WE DO. SCRIPTURE ALSO TELLS US THAT IF YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, YOU ARE THE SON OF THE GOD!
*** GOOD NEWS FOR THE SISTERS. BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO GALATIANS CHPT 3 VERSE 28, THERE IS NO GENDER IN GOD.
THEREFORE, WE TOO ARE IN THE LINE OF SUCCESSION - HEIRS AND JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST. AND, LIKE OUR BROTHERS, WE TOO HAVE THE WHERE WITH ALL AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
FURTHERMORE, FURTHER DOWN IN PHILIPPIANS CHPT 2 THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT “IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN US BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO HIS GOOD PLEASURE”, AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE FOR US TO BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
SISTERS AND BROTHERS, YOU ARE A SHAMAR BECAUSE, YOU HAVE IT IN YOU.
I KNOW THESE DAYS IT IS DIFFICULT TO THINK OF ANYONE BUT OURSELVES.
IN THESES END TIMES, VIOLENCE AND HOSTILITY ARE COMMON PLACE WHICH CAUSES US TO FEAR; THEREFORE, WE ARE RELUCTANT TO DEAL WITH FOLK AS SHAMARS. INSTEAD, WE MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.
WITH ECONOMIC PRESSURES AND SUCH IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO THINK OF ANYONE ELSE BUT OURSELVES. BUT GOD, NOT ONLY DESIRES US TO, BUT REQUIRES US TO ASK OURSELVES DAILY - HOW CAN I SERVE SOMEONE TODAY? HOW CAN I BE MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?
WE LAY BLAME ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR SOCIETY'S WOES, WHEN IN FACT IT IS THE MAN AND WOMAN OF GOD WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY AND THE CHARGE TO SUBDUE AND HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH.
SO I ASK YOU, AS GOD ASKED CAIN IN VERSE 10 OF GENESIS CHPT. 4 “WHAT HAS THOU DONE?” IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR YOUR BRETHREN? ARE YOU PRAYING FOR THEM? ARE YOU ATTENDING TO THEIR NEEDS? ARE YOU PREACHING TO THOSE WITHOUT, THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST? ARE YOU YOUR BROTHERS KEEPER?
BECAUSE, WHEN YOU DO NOTHING, THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD CRYING OUT FROM THE EARTH. AND, AS GOD REMINDED EZEKIEL IN EZEKIEL CHPT 33, “HE HAS APPOINTED YOU AS A WATCHMAN – A SHAMAR! AND, IF YOU DO NOT COME FORTH AS SUCH, YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD WILL BE REQUIRED AT YOUR HAND.
SO I CHALLENGE MY READERS TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR EVERY MORNING, EXAMINE YOUR HEART'S MOTIVE AND REMIND YOURSELF DAILY WHO YOU ARE BY SAYING, “I AM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER!"
IN SCRIPTURE, THIS QUESTION IS FOUND IN GENESIS, CHPT. 4 VERSE 9. IN THIS TEXT, GOD CONFRONTS CAIN AFTER HE HAS KILLED HIS BROTHER ABEL. GOD ASKED CAIN, “WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?” & CAIN ANSWERS …“AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”
IN AN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, FIRST, LET US EXAMINE, “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KEEPER”: THE TRANSLATION OF KEEPER IN HEBREW IS SHAMAR. IN IT’S VERB TENSE, IT MEANS TO GUARD, TO PROTECT, TO KEEP OR TO WATCH OVER; TO CARE FOR AS A PARENT DOES FOR A CHILD.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS DESCRIPTION ALONE, THE GRAVITY OF THE DUTIES OF A SHAMAR ARE GREAT.
THEY ARE LIKENED UNTO THE MANDATE IN PHILIPPIANS CHPT. 2 VERSE 4, WHICH READS, “LOOK NOT EVERY MAN ON HIS OWN THINGS, BUT EVERY MAN ALSO ON THE THINGS OF OTHERS”.
IN CONTEXT, CHPT 2 OF THIS BOOK LETS US KNOW THAT JUST AS JESUS WAS AND IS A SERVANT TO MANKIND AND THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERY TO BE SO, SO SHOULD WE BE ONE TO ANOTHER. THIS BEING ESTABLISHED, THE NEXT THING TO CONSIDERED WOULD BE ...WHO IS MY BROTHER/SISTER?
JESUS ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION IN MARK CHPT 3 VERSES 31-35 ,AS HE SAT AMONGST HIS FRIENDS AND FOES. HERE, HIS MOTHER AND BROTHER COME LOOKING FOR HIM AND THE MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE THAT SAT WITH HIM BEGIN TO SAY, “YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHER ARE LOOKING FOR YOU”, TO THAT HE RESPONDS, “WHO IS MY MOTHER OR MY BRETHREN?” HE THEN LOOKS ALL AROUND HIMSELF AND STATES, “BEHOLD, MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS. FOR WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IS MY BROTHER, MY SISTER AND SO ON”. IN OTHER WORDS, THOSE WHO BELIEVE AS I DO, OR HAVE THINGS IN COMMON WITH ME, TO THEM SHALL I BE THEIR SHAMAR. AND THIS IS STILL THE MIND-SET OF THE CHURCH TODAY. ONLY THOSE IN OUR INNER CIRCLES. THOSE IN OUR FAMILIES, IN OUR CHURCHES AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES, DO WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THIS “CLANNISH” MENTALITY IS A MISCONCEPTION OF JESUS'S TEACHINGS AND UNFORTUNATELY, IS HOW WE TREAT THOSE WE CONSIDER OUTSIDERS – NOT BELONGING TO THE CHURCH OR HAVING A FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CHURCH AND SO ON - IF WE ARE HONEST WE DON’T REALLY CONSIDER THEM TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT, I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT THIS MENTALITY IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH JESUS’S CONCEPT ABOUT WHO OUR BROTHERS ARE. IN FACT, HIS IDEA OF WHO ARE BROTHERS ARE GOES BEYOND OUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLES – THE SCRIPTURE MAKES THIS CLEAR IN ACTS CHPT 1 VERSE 8 WHERE JESUS COMMAND US TO BE WITNESSES OF HIS GOSPEL UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH FOR THE SAVING OF SOULS. IT MATTERS NOT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM. FROM THE UTTERMOST TO THE GUTTER MOST WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
NO CLEARER ILLUSTRATION OF THIS IS GIVEN THAN THAT OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN LUKE CHPT. 10 VERSES 29-37. HERE, AGAIN THE QUESTION IS ASKED, “WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?’
THIS TIME BY A JEWISH LAWYER WHO KNEW THAT ACCORDING TO LAW, A HEBREW WAS NOT TO ATTEND TO, CARE FOR OR WATCH OVER ANY ONE IN NEED OUTSIDE THE HEBREW RACE.
HOWEVER, IN THIS STORY, WE SEE THE ONE IN NEED OF HELP TO BE A HEBREW. AND, A PRIEST AND A LEVITE CAME AT SEPARATE TIMES AND SAW HIS NEED. ALTHOUGH, IT WAS NOT ONLY PERMISSIBLE, BUT ALSO LAWFUL FOR EITHER OF THEM TO HAVE ATTENDED TO THIS HEBREW’S NEED. UNFORTUNATELY, WE SEE THAT NEITHER OF THEM WERE THEIR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
THEN, JEUS SAYS A SAMARITAN WITH WHOM THE JEWS HAD NO DEALINGS CAME ALONG. AND, NOT ONLY DID THIS SAMARITAN ATTEND TO THE HEBREW’S IMMEDIATE NEED, BUT HE PROVIDED SHELTER FOR HIM AND MADE PROVISION FOR HIS FUTURE NEEDS. TO HIM HE WAS HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER. HERE WE SEE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE TO BE A KEEPER TO THOSE WITHIN OUR HOUSEHOLDS, OUR INNER-CIRCLES AND SUCH, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT.
GALATIANS 6:10 AMP. VERSION, READS, “ So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[i]morally] to ALL people [not only [j]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage].
FINALLY. BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY IT CARRIES, BEING A SHAMAR IS SOMETHING WE COULD SAY, MORE EASILY SAID THAN DONE. YES, JESUS IS A SHAMAR TO US ALL, BUT AFTER ALL HE IS JESUS, THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. SO, THE THING TO CONSIDER NOW WOULD BE: “CAN WE BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER OR “DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY OR CAPABILITY TO ACTUALLY TO BE A SHAMAR?”
SCRIPTURE TELLS US IN THE BOOK OF JOHN THAT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ON JESUS, THE WORKS THAT HE DID AND GREATER WORKS SHALL WE DO. SCRIPTURE ALSO TELLS US THAT IF YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, YOU ARE THE SON OF THE GOD!
*** GOOD NEWS FOR THE SISTERS. BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO GALATIANS CHPT 3 VERSE 28, THERE IS NO GENDER IN GOD.
THEREFORE, WE TOO ARE IN THE LINE OF SUCCESSION - HEIRS AND JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST. AND, LIKE OUR BROTHERS, WE TOO HAVE THE WHERE WITH ALL AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
FURTHERMORE, FURTHER DOWN IN PHILIPPIANS CHPT 2 THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT “IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN US BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO HIS GOOD PLEASURE”, AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE FATHER’S GOOD PLEASURE FOR US TO BE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.
SISTERS AND BROTHERS, YOU ARE A SHAMAR BECAUSE, YOU HAVE IT IN YOU.
I KNOW THESE DAYS IT IS DIFFICULT TO THINK OF ANYONE BUT OURSELVES.
IN THESES END TIMES, VIOLENCE AND HOSTILITY ARE COMMON PLACE WHICH CAUSES US TO FEAR; THEREFORE, WE ARE RELUCTANT TO DEAL WITH FOLK AS SHAMARS. INSTEAD, WE MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS.
WITH ECONOMIC PRESSURES AND SUCH IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO THINK OF ANYONE ELSE BUT OURSELVES. BUT GOD, NOT ONLY DESIRES US TO, BUT REQUIRES US TO ASK OURSELVES DAILY - HOW CAN I SERVE SOMEONE TODAY? HOW CAN I BE MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?
WE LAY BLAME ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR SOCIETY'S WOES, WHEN IN FACT IT IS THE MAN AND WOMAN OF GOD WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY AND THE CHARGE TO SUBDUE AND HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH.
SO I ASK YOU, AS GOD ASKED CAIN IN VERSE 10 OF GENESIS CHPT. 4 “WHAT HAS THOU DONE?” IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR YOUR BRETHREN? ARE YOU PRAYING FOR THEM? ARE YOU ATTENDING TO THEIR NEEDS? ARE YOU PREACHING TO THOSE WITHOUT, THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST? ARE YOU YOUR BROTHERS KEEPER?
BECAUSE, WHEN YOU DO NOTHING, THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD CRYING OUT FROM THE EARTH. AND, AS GOD REMINDED EZEKIEL IN EZEKIEL CHPT 33, “HE HAS APPOINTED YOU AS A WATCHMAN – A SHAMAR! AND, IF YOU DO NOT COME FORTH AS SUCH, YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD WILL BE REQUIRED AT YOUR HAND.
SO I CHALLENGE MY READERS TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR EVERY MORNING, EXAMINE YOUR HEART'S MOTIVE AND REMIND YOURSELF DAILY WHO YOU ARE BY SAYING, “I AM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER!"
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