Living Understanding, Pt 43: Keeper

Genesis 4:8-10                       8Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”  While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.   9Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied.  “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10The LORD said, “What have you done?  Listen!  Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.

John 13:34                             34“A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matthew 22:36-38                 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  37Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38This is the first and greatest commandment.  39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

On the face of it, we might relate to Cain’s attitude (not with the murder of his brother Abel, of course), because we live in a disconnected, disinterested 21st Century society.  Must we be responsible for those around us?  What about free will?  Are we responsible when they make bad decisions? 

Keeper or enabler?

One of the old meanings of keep was that part of the grounds, estate, or castle which was the most secure.  From that developed the idea of the keeper who was the one who was responsible for the protection of the family valuables which might include money and livestock.  The related modern definition is a guardian, warden, or protector. 

If we ask ourselves what Scripture says about keeper we find no direct references, but we do find indirect ones.  In the passages above we find exhortations to reach beyond ourselves, to love other people.  The John verse goes so far as to say that other people will recognize that we are believers because we love other people.  The implication is that this sort of activity is so unusual, so out of the ordinary, that it will mark believers as being different from the rest of society.

But also, we must understand that accepting the meaning of guardian or protector for keeper does not include ‘doing’ as a meaning.  This is the problem some moms have with their sons:  They so enable their sons that the sons develop no skills or abilities to cope with the struggles of life.  When Jesus confronted the woman in adultery he said, ‘go and sin no more’.  He didn’t allow her to be stoned, but neither did he remove her from the public humiliation and damage to her reputation.  Keeper then means ‘helper’ or ‘supporter’ but not ‘remover from trouble’.

Brother

The world would say no one has any responsibility for anyone except themselves, that no one counts except number one.  In one sense it is right because in our core we are all selfish sinners.  But, of course, that is not Christ’s view.  Anyone, of whatever color, language, ethnicity, or work ethic, who is willing to accept Christ as his Savior becomes a member of the family of Christ and so is our brother.  Our brother, in a nutshell, is anyone for whom Christ died, which leaves no one out.

47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48He [Jesus] replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.  50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:47-50)

During Jesus’ day the prevailing view was that family lineage was the necessary qualifier to get into heaven.  As long as one was of the lineage of Abraham, he was guaranteed entry.  Jesus was making a point here:  It doesn’t matter who one’s father is, and it doesn’t matter what things one does.  The only thing that counts is obedience and relationship with Jesus.

Attitude

When God comes to Cain to ask about Abel, Cain answers a question with a question.  People still do that when they want to deflect engaging in a particular conversation.  Can you hear the sarcastic tone and arrogance in Cain’s response?  Cain was an angry man, probably stemming from God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering and rejecting of his own.

In verses earlier in this passage we find the underlying reason for Cain’s anger.  Abel had brought the first fruit of his flock as sacrifice to the LORD, while Cain brought just ‘some’ of the fruit of the land.  It seems his offering was not the first fruit of the land, but just some of it.  God commented that sin (probably pride) was crouching at Cain’s door and that Cain must step up and overcome it.  Then we find that in the very next verse sin (as jealousy) raises its ugly head as Cain kills his brother.  In none of this do we see Cain remorseful nor repentant for his inadequate sacrifice.  We just see pride, anger, and arrogance.

6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”  7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Here is the key:  Cain’s heart was not right towards God.  Abel showed faith in his sacrifice, Cain showed performance.  He was doing the least he could do to get the job done. 

What about me?

And there lies the lesson for us.  Believer, what is your attitude toward God?  Before I came to a personal relationship with Jesus, I thought of God in a sort of deistic way—that He was done with His work here on earth and was off on some other planet starting again.  That is heretical because it denies the personal interrelational aspect of God’s nature.  God was walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve because He wanted to be with them.  Later, although He knew perfectly well what Cain had done, he still came to be with him.

God wants to be with each of us also, and he wants our heart to be right with Him.  He wants us to love Him just as much as He loves us which, honestly, is impossible.  But we must try.  Believer, try as much as you can to bring your faith to be like Abel’s.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  When you go to church, do it because you love God and want to be with Him, not because you have to.  When a friend seems to be closer to God than you are, don’t be like Cain in your jealousy, but go to that friend and ask him about that relationship.  Go though that door and seek after God.