“Adam knew his wife Eve, and she…gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:1-9

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. ² For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. ³ Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

“A police officer jumps into his squad car and calls the station. “I have an interesting case here,” he says. “A woman shot her husband for stepping on the floor she just mopped.” “Have you arrested her?” asks the sergeant. “No, not yet. The floor’s still wet.” (Rose Mattix, Illinois)

“Our Pilot, Our Guide”  The following passage is taken from a seminary commencement address given by Frederick Buechner: “CHRIST IS OUR employer as surely as the general contractor is the carpenter’s employer, only the chances are that this side of Paradise we will never see his face except mirrored darkly in dreams and shadows, if we’re lucky, and in each other’s faces. He is our general, but the chances are that this side of Paradise we will never hear his voice except in the depth of our own inner silence and in each other’s voices. He is our shepherd, but the chances are we will never feel his touch except as we are touched by the joy and pain and holiness of our own life and each other’s lives. He is with us—that is our faith—but only in unseen ways, as subtle and pervasive as air.” (Buechner, Frederick. Listening to Your Life . HarperOne. Kindle Edition.)

We do not really understand why Cain killed his brother Abel though we have our suspicions. As we heard, Able received affirmation from the Lord for his offering – while Cain’s offering did not. We do not know if Able made fun of his brother or in some other fashion embarrassed his brother for the Lord’s rejection, but it bothered Cain  enough to take revenge – revenge that was not his to take. Just imagine if Cain and Able had FaceBook pages. Able might have posted: “Received good news from the Lord: liked my steaks. Going to be a good season for herding.” While perhaps Cain posted: “I work and slave for months, and all I get is rejected. Watch out brother…”

It is not always clear what the Lord thinks about our actions – both public and private, positive and negative. But it is good to remember the Lord’s warning to Cain: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” As long as we strive to do what is right, both in the eyes of G-d and through the teachings of Jesus, then we surely will be accepted and loved.

Pastor Dave