Am I My Sisters’s Keeper?
The following excerpt is taken from What Guys see that girls Don’t, or do they? by Sharon Daugherty
Why should we responsible for anybody else? Why can’t we just live our lives and others live ther lives? Why should girls and women feel any responsibility for guys who struggle?
Let’s consider the story of Cain and Abel who were the first two children of Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve sinned and were removed from the Garden of Eden, the only way they could approach God’s presence was by bringing and animal sacrifice would cover their sin.
Abel brought an animal sacrifice as he had been told, but Cain decided to bring his own works of what he had harvested. He did things his own way instead of God’s way. Hence, God could not accept his sacrifice. Then, instead of repenting and doing as God had directed. Cain took offense and became angry, resentful and jealous of his brother who had done the right thing and obeyed God’s directions.
God tried to warn Cain that He could see that the bitterness within him was going to cause him to sin, but he wouldn’t listen to His warning. Eventually, Cain murdered his brother Abel. Afterward, God came to Cain and even though He knew what had happened, He gave Cain an opportunity to admit his sin by asking him, “Where is Abel thy brother?” (Gen.4:9a). Cain’s response was, “I know not [or we might say, "I don't know"]. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (v.9b)
Of course, we know that his response was, first, a lie because he knew where Abel was. Secondly, he did not take responsibility for his brother. But nevertheless, God held Cain responsible because he was responsible for his brother: God said, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground” (v.10b). Subsequently, a curse came upon Cain because he would not repent.
Today many people like Cain do not want to feel responsible for anyone else or to anyone else. There’s a desire for so-called “freedom” to do whatever a person wants to do, whether it affects other negatively or not. This attitude promotes the thought that if others are hurt, it’s their problem and not our own responsibility. If we ignore our conscience that talks to us and tells u when we’ve done right or wrong, we can become hardened to any sense of responsiblity toward others.
However, God still holds each of us as Christians responsible for others and how we come across to them. “Responsibility” is the state of being responsible or answerable for one’s actions and decisions; being accountable when called upon to report or account for one’s actions or behavior; liable (obliged or bound by one’s conscience, by law or by moral duty); to be called upon to answer for one’s actions or decisions or thinking.
Since we are still in the process of growing in our spiritual understanding and walking with God, sometimes we as Christians fail. However, responsible Christians are willing to see their failure, admit it and correct it. Once they gain the appropriate knowledge and are made aware of their responsibility, they make an effort to do what is expected.
Any kind of relationship can bring pain. Strife with a mother or father, a brother or sister, a husband or wife, a son or a daughter, a relative, a friend, pastor, bosss, neigbor, boyfriend, girlfriend or co-worker can cause us to experience a knot in our stomach, a lump in our throat and a loss od sleep.
One thing is that we shouldn’t take this part of our life lightly. Sometimes we do because after all we need company. We don’t want to look at the red flags that go up. We just go on and sometimes tell everything about ourselves until we realize what is actually going on. We have dropped our standards.
