Lately, I have been thinking about the responsibility that Christians have for others because I feel like somehow many of us do not feel like we are responsible for each other. This started from the first family on earth when Adam, although he ate the forbidden fruit with his wife, did not take responsibility for his actions or for his wife, even though God gave him the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, before Eve was created. Then their offspring was no better. After Cain killed Abel, and God asked him where his brother was, his response was, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (See Genesis 4). Cain did not think of himself as his brother’s keeper and so easily became his brother’s killer. This goes against the very nature of God because He wants us to love and take care of each other.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ…And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 1-2 & 9-10
Unfortunately, many of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day did not show compassion to those in need. Jesus had to use the illustration of the Good Samaritan to show them how to love their neighbors well. A lawyer, who seemed to be a legalist, wanted Jesus to explain who his neighbor was as he wanted to justify himself. Knowing this, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. He explained that a man on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest came by and saw him but walked to the other side of the road. A Levite came after and did the same thing, but it was a Samaritan man who was scorned by the Jews who stopped and cared for this man and even brought him to an inn and paid an innkeeper to take care of him. From Jesus’s story we can deduce that if a person we encounter is in need that person is our neighbor and we should show him compassion and take care of his needs. Jesus clearly demonstrates from this story that we are responsible for those in need. Jesus’s life exemplified this.
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Luke 4:16-20
If we are to follow Jesus’ example, then we will understand that the Holy Spirit empowers us to give sacrificially of our time, talents and treasure to those in need because that is what Jesus would do. And not only are we responsible for those God has put in our lives, but we are also responsible to God for them. That means if we do not treat them well, we are answerable to God. Oswald Chambers said this about our responsibility for others.
Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people? For instance, if I allow any turning away from God in my private life, everyone around me suffers. We “sit together in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 2:6). “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it…” (1 Corinthians 12:26). If you allow physical selfishness, mental carelessness, moral insensitivity, or spiritual weakness, everyone in contact with you will suffer. But you ask, “Who is sufficient to be able to live up to such a lofty standard?” “Our sufficiency is from God…” and God alone (2 Corinthians 3:5).
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