Brotherly & Sisterly Love

June 4, 2012
Bible Reading: Genesis 4

How many of you have brothers and sisters? Some people have a sister like myself, others have more than one, there are others who have a good mixture of both brothers and sisters. There may be those also who have half-siblings, or even foster brothers and sisters. Whoever you're siblings are whether of blood or not, they are your brothers and sisters, they're your FAMILY! My sister and I don't get along all the time, and this may be true for many others with siblings. You have your good days and there are days you butt heads, but at the end of the day you're still FAMILY.

In Genesis chapter 4, Eve gave birth to 2 sons, the oldest Cain and the youngest Abel. Both had different responsibilities; Abel kept the flocks and Cain worked the soil and harvested crops. Both also gave an offering to the Lord, Cain brought some of his crops and Abel brought fat portions of the firstborn flock. Now the Lord looked upon Abel with favor, but Cain on the other hand God did not.

After this Cain was pretty upset and as scripture says he was "downcast" and God even had a talk with God asking him why he was so upset. And after the converstation Cain came out of it still pretty upset and let it out on Abel whom God favored, and ended up killing Abel in the field. In the initial  converstation with Cain, God knew he was harboring anger and said to him "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Apparently Cain could not master it and allowed sin to enter which ended up with the killing of his own brother. I can't even imagine myself or anyone killing their own blood let alone their siblings, or anyone in the family, but Cain did. Not sure what Cain was thinking but it looks like jealousy came to play. Cain was jealous that God looked at Abel with favor when they both gave an offering to the Lord.

Many of us probably get jealous of our siblings. Maybe one is treated differently than the other, or one is given more than the other, whatever it is jealousy and stuff like that happens between siblings. The only difference is that Cain let his anger get the best of him leading him to killing his own brother.

No matter what you think about your sibling, no matter what you've said to them, no matter what argument or unforgiveable thing you think they might have done, at the end of the day they are still you siblings and your blood. That fact never changes, and whatever faults we might tave against our siblings they are still our brothers and sisters and we have to master those thoughts saying not to love our siblings, or to stay away from them, to curse them, to hate them and get that attitude of forgiveness and love. I heard a sermon yesterday and the pastor said that if we love God and we say we love God that there are no enemies, because when Jesus said "Love your enemies as you love yourself," it means that your enemies have become your friends, that why you can love your enemies.

God's love reigns over all, and no matter what it is you have against your sibling let it go and allow God to restore your friendship for each other and most importantly that brotherly & sisterly love!

Have a great week!
Ronald D.