The Importance Of Brotherhood

Text: Obadiah 1: 10-14

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and
thou shalt be cut off for ever.
In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the
strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates,
and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day
that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the
children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have
spoken proudly in the day of distress.
Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of
their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the
day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of
their calamity;
Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his
that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did
remain in the day of distress.

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God told Edom, "You stood aloof" when "strangers carried off Judah's wealth and foreigners entered his gate". The Edomites looked on while invaders plundered Jerusalem, they did not care. Obadiah went on to say that these blood relatives contributed to Judah's misery. Edom committed multiple sins against God's pe0ple, but they all began with the nation's lack of concern for their brothers.

Do you despise the bond of brotherhood? A similar lack of concern can often be seen in today's world. In one infamous incident, more than twenty people in one highly popular and populated city of the world looked the other way while one person murdered another. They could have tried to help, perhaps they could have prevented the murder; but instead they refused to become involved in the life of a fellowman in need.

What about us? Do we "stand aloof" concerning the problems we observe in the world today? Are we surrounded by injustice, oppression, hunger, poverty, homelessness or inequality and we appeared indifferent or unconcerned? If so, we need to have a re-think and think of ways we can make a positive change. Are we unconcerned about our brothel’s calamity? Remember we are to do good to all people as we have opportunity; especially those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). Christianity is not just a passive avoidance of sinful acts. It is also active in seeing what good needs to be done and dong it.