Am I my Brother's Keeper?

Perhaps one of the most poignant questions asked in the Bible is when Cain asks the Lord "Am I my brother's keeper?". This was in response to the Lord's question as to where his brother Abel was.
Genesis 4:8-9
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?"
This is a question we would do well to ask ourselves today. Cain's attitude was flippant towards his brother and ours may be the same too. Are we our brother's keeper? Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one another?

The Bible says that we are to love our brothers and even our enemies. The Bible clearly tells us that love is to be demonstrated - through action, through works. It is not enough to have a fluffy warm feeling in our heart and just pray, but love is to be demonstrated.
1 John 3:11-12,16-17
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous.
1 John 3:16-17
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

We are not to be our brothers' keeper for the proverbial pat on the back, or for that medal, or for any other recognition or egotistic reward. We are to bless and help our brother in need, because we love them.
1 Corinthians 13:3
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
We love because He first loved us and while we were still sinners, died for us. If we refuse to help our brother in need, the Bible tells us that God's love is not in us.
1 John 4:19-21
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Our love for God is to be demonstrated by our love for His people.

Are you your brother's keeper? Yes, you are. God will hold you accountable for the people around you, those you could have helped. Our relationship with Christ is not just a personal relationship but also a social and communal one. We are in grave danger of living as an hyper-individualistic Christian if we forget that we are our brother's keeper.