“Am I my brother’s keeper?” – Cain

Genesis records this answer of Cain’s when God came looking for Abel.  Of course God knew what had happened to Abel and Cain’s role in it.  God’s question wasn’t for information – it was to give Cain the opportunity to confess.  Confession has always been, and will always be the quickest root to freedom and of course forgiveness.

So why is it that we hesitate to confess, why is it we care more about what others think of us than we do the freedom found in forgiveness?  Of course the answer has to do with the nature of sin – it warps our thinking.  At the heart of sin is the belief that we do not carry responsibility – that we serve only ourselves – that we are neither our brother’s keeper nor for that matter our own.  Sin is about the ultimate idolatry – worship of ourselves.

When we find forgiveness from God (and each other) we find that peace is ours and a burden for our brother.  No longer can we serve ourself for God gives to us a heart for Him and in doing so – a heart for others.