Don't Kill Your Brother
Genesis 4:8
"And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."
The story of Cain and Abel is sad not only because of the death of Abel, but because of the potential that these two men could have accomplished together had Cain obeyed God. The Scriptures are not clear on how often Cain and Abel were to sacrifice to God, but we do know that they were to give a blood sacrifice. Abel took the firstling of his flock and sacrificed the lamb. The Scriptures teach that God respected, or accepted, Abel's sacrifice. On the other hand, Cain took of the fruit of the ground to give as a sacrifice to the LORD. This sacrifice was rejected by God because it was not a blood sacrifice.
Because Abel's sacrifice was accepted, Cain became bitter and allowed his bitterness to fester in his heart. Instead of learning from his brother, he let the bitterness turn to evil desires and finally killed him. This all happened because his brother did what was right and was accepted by God.
I fear that many times the one who does right is the one who becomes the hated by those who are implicated in the wrong. Paul said to the Galatian Christians in Galatians 4:16, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" Apparently, because Paul told the Galatians the truth, they treated Paul as the enemy instead of getting right with God. Because he told the truth, he became their adversary. Because he told the truth, they tried to kill the messenger instead of facing their sin and getting right with God.
All too often in Christianity we treat the messenger as the bad guy instead of listening to the message and correcting our sin. I have watched those who expose error become the enemy because they told the truth instead of allowing someone whom people loved to continue to attack truth. This is absurd! Those who expose error should not be killed because they tell the truth. When men become the defenders of the authenticity of the Scriptures, they should not become the enemy. Instead, those who attack the Scriptures should be the ones who change their ways. Just like Cain got upset at Abel and killed him for doing right, many Christians are killing the messengers of truth instead of changing their errant ways.
Christian, let me warn and challenge you not to kill the messenger when they tell you the truth. I know that hearing the truth may not always be easy to accept, but the messengers of truth are not your enemies. Teenager, your parents are not your enemy because they correct you and try to get you to do right. Christian, your pastor is not your enemy because he preaches the truth without apology and it exposes your sin. If you have a friend who exposes sin in your life, don't attack your friend who is simply trying to help you have God's blessings on your life.
The action you should take when you hear that you are wrong is to confess your sin to God and do right. Abel had the opportunity at the door to do right; instead, he killed the one who exposed his error. Anytime the Holy Spirit uses people to show you your sin, don't let the messenger be your enemy, but change your actions so that God's blessings can be upon your life. Don't kill your brother because he tells you the truth, but thank him and take the appropriate actions to change what you need to change.