Are You My Brother?

A few years ago we had a man to pay a visit to our house to do service work on a piece of exercise equipment. Upon talking with the serviceman we realized that he was a professing christian. It was interesting to hear his testimony and uplifting to see another that professes to know the Lord. One thing that did strike me odd was how quickly he called us "brother" and "sister" after such a brief visit. I had to chuckle as to how quickly he gave us these titles. Why, he really didn't know us! I had to think upon the terms brotherhood and sisterhood. And then thereafter I have had practice in thinking on these terms time and time again...a lot of times daily.

I thought of the meaning of being a brother. Upon a tad of research in the Webster's 1828 my ideas of brotherhood were quite right. It's of "a class of men of the same kind, profession or occupation" and "an association of men for any purpose". I thought of it in a Biblical sense of what this would mean.

So, to be a brother you must be born of the same parent(s). Our Father in heaven would make us of this association. Jesus, being the cause for our brotherhood, is of whom we are joint heirs with. In church, I would assume that this would be in the meaning of the same occupation.

How should brothers treat others? Are we to be our brother's keeper? Yes. Do supposed brothers treat others abusively? I don't think so. How are brothers to be of one purpose? Would it to be of the Lord's business and to build His kingdom? Yes! Or to build one's own kingdom and to cater to one's own flesh? No. Sure, we all sometimes have pride of life and the lust of the flesh thereof. We all must fight against these sins. Not one is perfect and we are all sinners. Thank God for grace indeed! But, it is true, if you know Christ and are a brother, your deeds will find you out. In fact, faith without works is dead. Charity does indeed rank highly. Where is the faith, love and works of some? Or is it all dead, unless it has to do with one's own good?

This has gravely hit home, very closely to us. I am grieved and it's totally out of my hands. Only the Lord can do the work in people that needs to be done. Only the Lord can work in wolves in sheeps clothing. The truth does truly find one out. One does eventually expose theirselves without the help of others. But at what cost? For other's lives to be hurt. How can people live with theirselves while still proclaiming to be Christian in front of Christians and the world while in the world? Upon observation, bitterness can set deep. With that kind of bitterness, only the Lord can iron it out with His Word and presence, like a balm onto one's soul.

Sometimes your hands are tied. There's nothing you can do but hang in the balance and pray for others to get things right, to meet the Lord and see a transformation, renewing of minds and light in ones eyes.

But until then ,no Sir, thou art not my brother.