Whatever Happened to Brotherly Love?

Whatever happened to brotherly (and sisterly) love? That is a question that a wise friend asked me. He said that he saw a meanness in American life that was not as evident before, a coarseness of private and public discourse that made him sad. He remembered times when neighbors seemed to be more helpful to each other, and more caring about each other’s families and general welfare.

My friend reminisced about a time when humor was not so harsh and cutting, and not always at someone else’s expense. He said he knew that politics had always been rough and often dirty, but contemporary technology has upped the ante, often made running for office character suicide, where even the winners have usually lost everything but the election. So we chatted a while, and our conversation came near to being a requiem for the moral concept of brotherly love that we remembered so fondly from our youth.

But when I went to prayer time tonight I was reminded that we must not let it disappear. The fight for brotherly love, for human agape, must not die with us. Sometimes I believe that brothers and sisters in Christ forget the relationship that they ought to have one with the other. Sometimes there are things that are done one to the other that are completely wrong and hurtful.

Often times Christians forget that we, if remaining faithful, will share Heaven. Yet, some folks seem to want to hate each other here on this earth. The Bible tells us how we should continue in our walks with brothers and sisters. Hebrews 13:1 "Let brotherly love continue."

As a matter of fact we should love each other as Christ loved us and be even willing to give our lives for one another. We Christians must seek for our actions to align with the Bible. 1 John 3:16-18 “ 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? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”

What is more, we should love our enemies. That is powerful spiritual medicine! Looking at the love a Christian should have for his or her enemy really gives clarity to "brotherly love". In Matt 5:43-45, Jesus states "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

Christ commands us to love each other and he tells us that this will be sign that we are his disciples. (John 13:34-35) We are called to be faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ, but our weapons are spiritual, grounded in Scripture and prayer. And the greatest weapon of good is love. The time has come for Christians to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk. Everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian must consider all their actions in comparison to the Golden rule (Matthew 7:12) and the commandment to love.

If we begin to do that, we will begin to find a kinder and gentler America, and a more hopeful, expectant world. Many of our problems will melt like fog on a sunny morning. Kindness beats meanness every time. (1 Cor. 13) It is time for brotherly love to make a comeback.