MattGlover.com

We looked at the story of Cain and Abel on Sunday night, and in particular, the question God asks Cain after the murder - “Where is Your Brother?”

Cain was jealous that God was looking with favour on the offerings that Abel was bringing, but receiving no such favour himself. Somehow he missed the point that Abel was offering the ‘best of the best’, not just a ‘bit of the rest’ like Cain. But instead of doing the common sense thing and offering something better, Cain lures his brother out to the field and kills him.

When God asks where Abel is, Cain shuffles his feet, looks at the ground, shrugs his shoulder and says, “How should I know? I’m not his Mother.” (My translation!)

Of course, God lets Cain have it big time. Cain has lied and murdered and God curses him to wander the land and his appearance to repulse those that come across his path.

The thing we focussed on on Sunday was the issue of responsibility. Living in a consumer culture, we find ourselves conditioned to avoid resposnsibility. Get whatever you want out of whatever it is and then throw it away - hang the consequences.

Thus, we always buy new things and choke our planet with the rubbish and pollution casued by enormous amounts of waste. We have poor committment to groups and clubs as we join them for what we can get out of them but want no part in leading them. Reltionships become shallow and weak as they are based only on “what they can do for me”.

Christian faith, however, is a communal one. We live and experience life together. And we can’t have real community without having responsiblity both for the group as a whole and for the individuals that make it up.

When God asks, “Where is your brother?” we can’t shrug our shoulders and say it’s not our problem. God says that loving our nieighbours is the second most important teaching in the faith. Responsibility can’t be ignored.

So what does this responsiblity look like?

1. It starts at home. With our blood brothers and sisters, with our housemates and neighbours. Loving them and serving them.

2. It continues wherever and whenever. At work, school, church, sport and wherever else we find ourselves. Like the Good Samaritan, we have a responsibility to whoever we come across.

3. It’s hard. Sometimes it means conflict and confrontation, just like Paul did with Peter in Galatians 2.

The point of all this is to not be harsh and judgemental, nor is it to feel 100% responsible for the health and wellbeing of every facet of somebody’s life. But instead, to take a loving and compassionate interest in each others lives as part of our devotion to God.

So when God asks you, “Where is your brother/sister/parent/work mate/ school friend/ etc?”, don’t just shrug your shoulders but be involved and interested enough in your community that you can give a real answer.