Am I my brother's keeper?

"Am I my brother's keeper?"

Gen 4:9

This is the question that I am asking myself today... Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one another? Or is the only obligation we truly have to ourselves?

Am I my brother's keeper? To me the only answer is yes. I say that with such conviction that is almost impossible for me to see any other answer as possible. We can not and should not stand alone, for no matter where we are in this life we have only succeeded because of others who were willing to help us along the way and a healthy dose of sheer luck. Sometimes we forget that, sometimes our successes are ours alone, and our setbacks are due to others. We forget the sacrifices our parents went through to ensure a better life for us, we forget the countless hands that guided us on the right path and kept us from falling. Without them would you be where you are today? Without them can you not picture yourself in a place where you might  need help, not because your lazy, or a bad person, or made bad choices, but just because no one was there when you needed that push.

The harder question I have is this: Can we force someone else to help? Can we make others do the right thing? As individuals: No I don't think we can, they have the right to choose just as I do, and while I might not respect their choice I will respect there right to make that choice. As groups and companies: Yes I think we can. The United States is a republic, a republic where the majority rules, but not at the expense of the minority. When the need arises to protect the minority the goverment has the moral authority to step in force the hand of those who are unwilling to help.

I truly believe that it is our moral duty to care for one another, to help those in need, for after all is said and done and we have left this life behind us, which will be more important to those we left behind, how much money we made, or how much help we gave to others. Money is finite, you can't take it with you when you go, but hope and love, that carries with us into the next great journey lighting our way to paradise. We all share this world, we are all connected, and we are all of us our brother's keeper.