03/31/2022
Am I My Bruhtha’s Keeper?
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had dreams on 3 consecutive nights that visually spoke very clearly to me of brotherly love.
The first dream showed reconciliation between brothers of the same blood - same mother and father. The second was concerning the reunification of Christian brothers under the same church roof. The third demonstrated a deep level of transparency between brothers of different races. From these dreams God spoke “let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1) My inner ear heard it; but more so, my heart felt it.
So then came the slap heard around the world. Honestly, after I closed my mouth my heart broke. And I thought more of “bruhtha’ly” love. What I saw, and what the whole world saw, was the antithesis of “bruhtha’ly” love. Perhaps this was an on-stage demonstration of a problem that has persisted since the days of Cain and Abel:
“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:8-9)
Maybe I’m overstating things a bit and I’m sure there are many additional and some more accurate interpretations of of “what ha happened.” But from where I sit and from what I’ve dreamed, this is so about brotherly and brutha’ly love and the lack thereof.
Sure it’s taboo too openly speak of any bruhtha’s mom or woman. Them’s fightin’ words for sure! Even a drunk bruhtha knows better! (Or he will know better once he gets up off the pavement.) But then should it not be taboo for two bruhthas- in tuxes, mind you - to verbally and physically assault each other before the world?
Well maybe we can turn this into something positive? After seeing this, how about we attend to the conflict that exists from brother to brother or bruhtha to bruhtha in our communities, neighborhoods, schools and churches.
Actually a slap is the least of our physical attack on each other. Like a “slap on the wrist” except higher up the body? Thankfully both bruhthas still live and neither is hospitalized. But in far too many cases bruhthas has been left to die at the hands of another when a slap couldn’t do what a gun shot could.
Cain asked an important question. Seemingly rhetorical. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What if all us bruhthas said “yes.” Then I wouldn’t verbally assault his wife; nor would I physically assault his face. Nor would I destroy his reputation. Nor would I take his life.
From here, why can’t “bruhtha’ly love continue.” Here’s a fantasy! These two bruhthas kiss and make up. Publicly. For the sake of all bruhthas and brothers.
