My brother Cecil was working on a trailer house once and had asked me to come help. One of his friends had called him and wanted to come talk to him. When his friend arrived he had another friend with him and in jest told Cecil, “we’ve got you cornered now.” Unbeknownst to them I was in the room behind them. I stepped out and said, “It just got real because it looks like we’ve got yall surrounded.” Although this was all in fun, the fact is I would have had my brother’s back as he would have mine.
The fact is we should have each other’s back. Cain asked God if he was his brother’s keeper. The answer is yes. Yes he was and yes we are our brother’s keeper. Barnabas is a prime example of this. He encouraged the Disciples hence gaining the name Barnabas as his name was Joses. He went and found Paul and took him to the Disciples and stood up for him. He stood up for John Mark when Paul had contention with him. He worked at being his brother’s keeper.
There is something else here that can be overlooked. Look at some of the people that he encouraged. The Disciples, Paul, John Mark (the author of the book of Mark). Paul also mentions being encouraged by several other people throughout his letters and in the Book of Acts, including Titus, Epaphroditus, Onesiphorus, and the Christians who met him on the road to Rome. Paul wrote: But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6 NET). His words imply that he was downhearted, This also shows that even those that we may consider strong need help. You know the people that everybody leans on. Sometimes that encouragement is simply being there. In Acts 28:15 When Paul saw other believers, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God. I can’t tell you how it encourages someone to see others, especially those that they have invested in, faithfully living for God.
I know I have spoken mostly of encouragement, but there is so much to being your brother’s keeper. It may be encouragement, it might be help of any sort. I remember that my wife had a flat once and a brother in Christ stopped and changed it for her. The list of what we could do for each other. It can be summed up in this. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2 NET).
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NET Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NET 9 Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.