Perhaps we're still answering Cain's question to God [Genesis, 4:9] and in a vital way for each one of us. To me, we are to be our brothers' and sisters' keepers and to do what we can to assist one another. That's when we experience our human connection and divinity. So I choose to answer, "Yes. I am my brother's and my sister's keeper."
In the eyes of the Lord, all of us are welcomed and celebrated. There is no wayward path because all paths lead back home to God. No matter how any of us may have strayed or wandered, it's not really our concern except that we are called upon to care for one another. Let's put aside what we might hold against our brothers or sisters for what they've said or done. Let's extend ourselves and celebrate our brothers and sisters as our beloveds.
What if your brother or sister just hurt you or stole from you? Why would you want to be their keeper?
Vengeance isn't our level of concern. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord" [Romans 12:19]. God is the ultimate keeper of our brothers and sisters. So whoever might come against us, we can love them regardless. They are still our brothers and sisters. They are loved by God just as we are.
Let's choose to tend to our brothers and sisters in whatever forms they come to us, which may be in ways that aren't on our terms. My brother or sister's needs don't necessarily present themselves to me in ways I want or like. At those times, I discover how willing I am to drop my agenda, let go of any selfishness, and care for them in the best ways I can.
By seeing through the eyes of the Lord, we can love even the least one. Sometimes that least one is the one that confounds us the most. We may find ourselves getting down on our knees and saying, "I don't know how to be this one's keeper, Lord. I can't get along with this one. I'm at your mercy."
It may be an amazing moment when we come into a surrender and confess that we don't know how to be our brother's or sister's keeper. That's a great time to call upon the Lord. Remember that when two or more are gathered in His name, the Lord is in our midst [Matthew 18:20]. At those times, we can experience the Spirit that vibrates in truth and joy. That loving vibration has a way of showing us that everything is of God's glory, even those whom we might call our enemies.
"I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" [Matthew 4:22]. We can see our enemies in the way God sees them, as His beloveds. We can see that our enemies are God's glory brought into our midst in forms we may not recognize, in forms we may doubt, judge or fight. That awareness can be humbling and, at the same time, freeing so we can love one another regardless. Whoever challenges or tests you not to love, remember to love that one, perhaps especially that one. And that one can be you.
Our feelings towards our brothers or sisters aren't truly about anybody or anything against us. Ultimately, our experience of loving our enemies reveals how we are with loving ourselves. Our negative feelings towards our enemies reflect our own upset and the ways we block ourselves from knowing the glory of who we are. We can even be thankful for our enemies as they teach us ways we can love ourselves more fully and completely.
To me, the real assignment in being our brother's keeper is to love ourselves as our own brother or sister. I remind people often to help themselves first before they help their brothers and sisters. Take care of yourself in ways that contribute to you becoming a more happy, healthy, caring, human being. When we take care of ourselves, that enables us to be better keepers of our brothers and sisters.
We can love our brothers and sisters right now. We can love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We can love our enemies. I encourage you to take that to heart, without exception. We all can be more in and of the spirit of who we are. We can be more about loving and caring for one another in the way the Lord loves us. As we choose to love regardless, we can then say in truth, in joy, and with conviction, "Yes. I am my brother's keeper."
-------------------------------------------
Learn more about John Morton at www.theblessings.org. Contact John at johnmorton@theblessings.org.
The author of The Blessings Already Are and You Are the Blessings, John is the Spiritual Director of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA).
Rev. Candace Chellew-Hodge: Osama bin Laden is My Enemy and My Neighbor
I'm an atheist and I do good works for people without an imprecation from your sky god. I work training teachers and my husband is a teacher. He and I volunteer for the homeless, we give to various causes that help people, both inside the US and on a global scale. We don't hate people nor do we judge, we simply try to help and contribute to peace. The only thing we hate is violence. We try to prevent it by helping people fulfill needs.
So why is it that believers always have to use god to force you into doing good works? What if you only believed in the here and now? If all we have is THIS life RIGHT NOW rather than some fictitious afterlife, doesn't it become more important to do good things and help people NOW?
I don't believe that some sky god made me. I believe that I am the product of billions of years of evolution on this planet, a process that still continues long after I am gone. I get one chance to bring a little light into this world and make my life meaningful for others and then I am gone. I choose to do good. I was lucky enough to be born in a part of the world where I could get an education and I could use that to help others, no sky god has to tell me that.
I believe too that I am the product of billions of years of evolution. I believe it will continue long after I am gone. I also happen to believe in a God. My beliefs don't hurt you as yours don't hurt me. Perhaps different people need different reasons to motivate, encourage and challenge them. I personally believe we all make our own choices and like you feel that what we do now is representative of who we are.
In my own faith you do not act because of some fear or desire for a better afterlife, rather you act as a celebration for the blessings you've been given. I see my 'luck' or 'blessing' as a reason to make a difference and give in this world. I see God or the universal force as love that is given out over and over, and continues to connect each and every one of us as we move through life.
Maybe if you worried less about our faith and focused on your own life you'd find that the hate and violence you despise so much would dissipate between people of faith and those without. Then maybe we could work together to make change and we might find we are more similar than previously thought.
I am tired of my country being hijacked by a conservative christian agenda. I am tired of being told that as a woman I have no leadership authority because the bible says so. I am tired of people not thinking for themselves! My parents are believers but they taught me to think for myself and to question. I chose my own path and married a person who thinks as I do. I am part of a community of freethinkers. We are not angry or sad as you seem to think. Anytime an atheist steps up and questions the hegemony of the christian community we are called angry. Well, maybe you should look in the mirror. I live an ethical and balanced life but I will no longer stand my rights as a citizen of the US being trampled upon by you religous people. This nation is not a christian nation. Thefounders were clear on that. The establishment clause is clear about that. There is no state religion here.
I have no problem with you having your religion but I do have a problem and will take humbrage with being preached to on a left-leaning political site. You want religion? Go find an appropriate place to express it. Just don't mix it with politics in this country.