You’ve heard the question, but do you know its original context? These words—am I my brother’s keeper?—were spoken by Cain, firstborn of Adam and Eve. Cain spewed them when asked by God, “Where is your brother Abel?” This same dialogue could occur with today’s average Christian in Central Florida. If asked “Where is your brother?” we too could be caught trying to cover ourselves in a philosophical debate. But what if we would consider God’s question honestly? In Orlando there were 49 murders in 2006. Thirty-four slain were black. What is the universal Christian response to this record-breaking murder streak? Is it benign neglect? Or claims like this one: “That’s what happens to ‘those people’”? As followers of Christ, are not “those people” our brothers and sisters? 1 John 4:21 says, “And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” Orlando’s murder rate is just one issue that challenges the body of Christ in this region. Until we rightly identify our br...
Musings about Life, Following Christ, Leadership, and Race in the Context of the U.S. Experience