My Brother's Keeper

Growing up, I loved going to Miami Metrozoo.

Thanks to my dad’s annual pass, we went there lots of times. I thought working there would be a cool job. I even remember looking at volunteer forms.

I lived too far away, unfortunately.

I might still have a documentary on the zoo on one of my old, fading, VHS tapes. I watched it over and over in my teens. It showed the daily life of a keeper.

Keeper. Now that's an interesting title.

Dictionary.com has twelve definitions for “Keeper”. The first two go as follows:
1. A person who guards or watches, as at a prison or gate.
2. A person who assumes responsibility for another's behavior.

As a zookeeper, you’re responsible for the lives in the zoo. The animals can't fend for themselves in their artificial habitats; they depend on you for food, water, shelter, care, everything (I don't know from direct experience, but this sounds a little like parenting to me).

Responsibility is a tall order for some. There are people who don't like the idea of being responsible for another.

You see, when we take care of another, we have to put our own wants aside.

Jesus said, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Do you ever feel like a keeper? Who is under your care?

What situations cause you to wish that your responsibilities consisted solely of taking care of your own needs?

How do we overcome our own selfishness?

Related Verses

Genesis 4:1-9
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and 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. But Abel brought 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 master it. ”
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go out to the field.” And 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?”

John 15:11-17
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.