我岂是看守我兄弟的吗？

我的小弟弟在多年前去世了，真是令人心碎。不同于该隐，我并没有杀死我弟弟，然而，该隐向神提出的问题，却突然在我心灵里出现，霎时间我知道怎样回答神："是的，我是看守我兄弟的。"我多么希望能保护我的小弟弟。

离开伊甸园后，亚当和夏娃生了两个儿子：种地的该隐，和牧羊的亚伯。后来，该隐拿地里出产的果子献给神，亚伯则把羊群中头生和最好的献上。神悦纳亚伯的供物，却不悦纳该隐的，该隐便大大发怒。

神警告该隐要控制他的怒气、行当行的事、和避免被伏在他门前的罪吞吃了（彼得前书 5:8）。可是，该隐却杀了亚伯。

神问该隐："你兄弟亚伯在哪里？"该隐愚昧地反问："我岂是看守我兄弟的吗？"

身为海军牧师，我知道同船的队员会彼此关顾；神只要求该隐做到这点，"最低限度不要加害于人！"我们也应该是这样。

今天，让我们在耶稣的十字架下屈膝，在那里，"神使那无罪的替我们成为罪"（哥林多后书 5:21），为要拯救我们脱离罪和死亡。靠着耶稣的力量，我们便能够服从衪：爱主你的神、爱你的邻舍、彼此相爱、和甚至爱你的仇敌（马太福音 22:36-40；约翰福音 13:34-35；马太福音 5:43-48）。我们是有责任看守我们的兄弟和姊妹的。

父啊，祢赐我们兄弟姊妹，好叫我们能关顾他们。求祢带领我们按照祢的吩咐去行。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。

1有一日，那人和他妻子夏娃同房，夏娃就怀孕，生了该隐，便说："耶和华使我得了一个男子。"
2又生了该隐的兄弟亚伯。亚伯是牧羊的，该隐是种地的。
3有一日，该隐拿地里的出产为供物献给耶和华，
4亚伯也将他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油献上。耶和华看中了亚伯和他的供物，
5只是看不中该隐和他的供物。该隐就大大地发怒，变了脸色。
6耶和华对该隐说："你为什么发怒呢？你为什么变了脸色呢？
7你若行得好，岂不蒙悦纳？你若行得不好，罪就伏在门前。它必恋慕你，你却要制伏它。"
8该隐与他兄弟亚伯说话，二人正在田间，该隐起来打他兄弟亚伯，把他杀了。
9耶和华对该隐说："你兄弟亚伯在哪里？"他说："我不知道。我岂是看守我兄弟的吗？"
10耶和华说："你做了什么事呢？你兄弟的血有声音从地里向我哀告。

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

"‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’" - Genesis 4:9

英语音频 English Audio

My kid brother died years ago. It was heartbreaking. Unlike Cain, I hadn’t killed my brother, but Cain’s question to God exploded in my soul. Suddenly I knew the answer: "Yes, I am my brother’s keeper." I’d wanted to protect my little brother.

After leaving Eden, Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain, a crop farmer, and Abel, a shepherd. Eventually Cain offered some fruits of the soil to God while Abel offered the choicest parts from the firstborn of his flock. God honored Abel’s gift but not Cain’s. So Cain got angry.

God warned Cain to control his anger, to do what was right, and to prevent sin—lurking at his door—from devouring him (1 Peter 5:8). But instead Cain killed Abel.

"Where’s your brother Abel?" God asks. And Cain unwisely responds, "Am I my brother’s keeper?"

As a Navy chaplain, I learned that shipmates care for one another. That was all God was asking of Cain—like "At the very least, do no harm!" So it should be for us.

Kneel today at the foot of Jesus’ cross, where "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21), to save us from sin and death. In his strength, we can obey Jesus: love the Lord your God, your neighbor, one another, and even your enemies (Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:34-35; Matthew 5:43-48). We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.

Prayer

Father, you give us brothers and sisters so that we can care for them. Guide us to do as you ask. In Jesus’ name, Amen.