"Oh that you were like a brother to me..." (Song of Solomon 8:1, ESV).
Cain denied being his "brother's keeper," but he should have observed the law of love and not to be envious or have the evil or jaundiced eye. Brothers are "born for adversity" according to Prov. 17:17 and we are blessed to know brotherly love as an affectionate and loyal one. There is a kind of love that is natural just because of being related, but brotherly love is seen as a model of the kind we should have for our Christian brothers (not called that for no reason). "Let brotherly love continue" (cf. Heb. 13:1). Note that friends can be more intimate than brothers: "... [B]ut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24, ESV).
Deut. 23:7 says not to "abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother"--this means we should never despise, look down, or resent our brother, who is own flesh and blood. Brothers can disagree but they should find areas of commonality--they can agree to disagree and disagree without being disagreeable. Proverbs 6 lists sowing discord among brothers as one of the things that are an abomination to God.
Most arguments aren't worth the adrenaline and they generate more heat than light! According to Patton's Principles: A Guidebook for Managers Who Mean It, we should never engage in an argument we have nothing to gain from--some are just trivial; on the other hand, there are godly controversies and we are called to engage in them (but don't split hairs!). Abraham didn't want any discord with his brethren and in Gen. 13:8 (ESV) he says, "Let there be no strife between you and me ... for we are kinsmen." But there is always a challenge from an equal and "iron sharpens iron" as Proverbs 27:17 declares. Caveat: "A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city..." (Prov. 18:19, ESV).
We are to see our brother in need and to volunteer our time, resources, talents, and finances: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? (1 John 2:17, ESV). Paul says in (1 Tim. 5:8, ESV): "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Soli Deo Gloria!
Cain denied being his "brother's keeper," but he should have observed the law of love and not to be envious or have the evil or jaundiced eye. Brothers are "born for adversity" according to Prov. 17:17 and we are blessed to know brotherly love as an affectionate and loyal one. There is a kind of love that is natural just because of being related, but brotherly love is seen as a model of the kind we should have for our Christian brothers (not called that for no reason). "Let brotherly love continue" (cf. Heb. 13:1). Note that friends can be more intimate than brothers: "... [B]ut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24, ESV).
Deut. 23:7 says not to "abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother"--this means we should never despise, look down, or resent our brother, who is own flesh and blood. Brothers can disagree but they should find areas of commonality--they can agree to disagree and disagree without being disagreeable. Proverbs 6 lists sowing discord among brothers as one of the things that are an abomination to God.
Most arguments aren't worth the adrenaline and they generate more heat than light! According to Patton's Principles: A Guidebook for Managers Who Mean It, we should never engage in an argument we have nothing to gain from--some are just trivial; on the other hand, there are godly controversies and we are called to engage in them (but don't split hairs!). Abraham didn't want any discord with his brethren and in Gen. 13:8 (ESV) he says, "Let there be no strife between you and me ... for we are kinsmen." But there is always a challenge from an equal and "iron sharpens iron" as Proverbs 27:17 declares. Caveat: "A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city..." (Prov. 18:19, ESV).
We are to see our brother in need and to volunteer our time, resources, talents, and finances: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? (1 John 2:17, ESV). Paul says in (1 Tim. 5:8, ESV): "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Soli Deo Gloria!