Are We Our Brother's Keeper?

America witnessed its share of Good Samaritans during and after the recent World Trade Center disaster. They are to be commended for their call to duty and sacrifice, some even giving up their lives in the process. Like the original Good Samaritan, their examples should remind us of God's love for mankind, which transcends even such outstanding examples of human love and sacrifice.

God calls us to a way of life exemplified by Him and His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8).

You and I can come to understand and apply the kind of love and sacrifice Jesus made for all humanity. The Bible describes it as being our brother's keeper, one who unfailingly "keeps" his brother or sister. Such constancy is more than an immediate and unplanned sacrifice for others, commendable as that is. To be your brother's keeper means to consider your neighbor's needs at all times, whether he is present or not.

A brother's keeper is one who understands godly love as expressed in Christ's sacrifice (John 3:16-17). That kind of love is embodied in the final words of Jesus as He hung dying on the stake: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). This is what Jesus asked of the Father for His murderers.

This kind of love for others is not a part-time job but a way of life. It follows the example of the Good Samaritan at all times. Ultimately the way of life God desires for us involves God's calling (John 6:44), repentance from dead works and faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1-2). To learn more, request our free booklets Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion and The Ten Commandments. GN