Are you your brother's keeper? "No", writes columnist John R. Gunn, "You are not your brother's keeper. You are your brother's brother and that is an entirely different relationship. It's more beautiful, more sacred and a more responsible relationship."
When Cain in a surly and cowardly mood asked, Am I my brother's keeper? He was trying to evade the issue. God had not appointed Cain to be Able's keeper. He wanted Cain to be something finer and nobler than that. He wanted him to be Able's loyal, loving, protective and helpful brother. How shamefully Cain failed in that.
The hatreds and antagonisms between races; the quarrels and wars between nations; the bitter strife between classes - how unbrotherly this is. And what does it all come to? What, but loss and grief and sorrow.
The ancient prophet burst out "Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?" The same questions echo today.
Racial bigotry, national vanity and class pride would soon disappear from the world and there would come a reign of peace and goodwill, if mankind would accept and follow the principles of brotherhood. Whoever you are, whereever you are, you have a responsibility to live according to the principles of brotherhood.
Let us all in a spirithood of brotherly love try to be mutually considerate and to seek, in all possible ways, to be mutually helpful.