"Am I my brother's keeper?" is the first question on record ever asked by man. Cain was the first, but not the last to ask it. That question confronts mankind daily in all of our dealings with our fellow man. Cain was not concerned about what he had done until the Lord told him what his punishment should be (Gen 4:12, 13). Then he said "my punishment is greater than I can bear."

In Gen 18:8, we read of another character who had to decide whether or not he was his brother's keeper. It was faithful old Abraham. Strife had arisen between the servants of Abraham and his nephew, Lot. So Abram said unto Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren." Abram told Lot to take his choice of the land to the right or to the left and he would take the other. Abram was trying to please Lot and please the Lord, rather than his own selfish desires.

The New Testament is full of answers to the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Let us study some of them briefly.

1. That we love one another. In 1 Jno 3:11, we find these words, "For this is the message we heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." And again, I Peter 3:8, "Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful and courteous." We are to love with brotherly love. Rom 12:10, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another." In Jno 18:84, Christ, in speaking to his Apostles, said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." And in Jno 15:12, "This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you." Christ loved us so that He gave his life for us.

2. To please the Lord and to be our brother's keeper we must give our lives as service to others. In Matt 25:31-46, we find some of the things the Lord has for us to do to be our brother's keeper. In verses 85, 86, we read these words, "For I was hungry and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me." Yea, these are just simple everyday things that every person in the world can do, one or all of them. These things will not make headline news in the paper, neither will they fill the history books, but they are deeds that will please the Lord and help us gain a home in heaven. Excuses have become so common of late it might be well to analyze some of them here. Often when it is mentioned that anyone is coming in our midst we hear these excuses, "I do not have room" or "we are not able." Do I have room for myself? Then I might try sharing it. Do I have as much food as the woman who fed Elijah? One serving of meal; if so, I might try serving it. These are just plain simple questions for us to ask ourselves while we are studying this lesson. If we make it too general we might fail to get the full. benefit. But this is a self examination, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

3. That we take no account of evil. 1 Cor 13:5 and again in James 5:20, we find love does not hunt faults but covers them, for it says, "Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins." In 1 Peter 4:8, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves for charity shall cover a multitude of sins." To have fervent love or charity is to have earnest and zealous love. To be just as interested in the other person's welfare as we are our own. To do this takes daily practice for us to subdue our carnal nature. It is human nature to magnify the sins of others and tell them to others, hut to hide and keep quiet about our own. "Am I my brother's keeper" even if he has erred and fallen by the wayside? Yes, we are to restore the fallen. Gal 6:1, "Brethren, it a man be overtaken in fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one, in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted."

4. Help the destitute. 1 Jno 3:17, "But whoso hath this world's goods and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Not only our time but our possessions are all to be used to the glory of God.

5. Forgive. (Matt 18:22). This is often as hard for us to do with our stubborn will as any of the other things we are to do. When Christ was teaching a lesson on forgiveness, Peter asked how oft he should forgive his brother. Christ said, "I say not unto thee until seven times; but until seventy times seven." I understand by that we are to forgive as often as we are asked forgiveness. We should conduct ourselves in such a way that it will not be so hard for people to ask forgiveness. If we are not willing and glad to forgive them then we are at fault ourselves. If we take a "holier than thou" attitude toward the one who asks forgiveness, when we grant it we are in the wrong. We are to have a meek and humble spirit. Confess our faults one to the other and pray one for the other.

6. The Gospel has a big part in being our brother's keeper. Acts 20, 26, 27, Paul says, "Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the council of God." Oh! that we could all realize our duty along this line. It would not take long to give everyone a chance to hear and obey the gospel. If they fail to obey, it will be up to them, but if we fail to preach the gospel then we are not pure from the blood of all men. The word is still the power of Cod unto salvation so let's preach it with all the force we have.

Summing up this lesson, we have learned we are our brother's keeper. We are to love him as Christ has loved us. We are to do him service. Help restore the fallen. Help the destitute. Forgive, and preach the gospel.