Thy Brother’s Keeper

“Being thy brother’s keeper”, so often we have heard this term, whether in the biblical sense or in our everyday lives. Yet it is a saying not too often practiced to many of us detriment.

What does it really mean to be thy brother’s keeper? In my opinion I think it means uplifting each other when we fall, carrying the burden when it becomes to heavy for them to bear; even as simple as bringing joy to a saddened soul.

However, what is mostly practiced is selfishness and a sub-conscious desire to hurt others, and pulling down thy brother or sister. Either in an attempt to keep them from surpassing you, to keep them at the level you are at, or to keep them from reaching your level. Whatever the reason may be it doesn’t make it right.

Maybe that person feels threatened by competition, could be lack of self esteem, or some inner hurt caused by a past experience why they feel the need to do so. As the saying goes “misery loves company”.

Ironically, what many do not realize is that collaboration is better in achieving anything than competition. Collaboration enables a common goal to be achieved quicker, greater quality and with greater desirable results. Collaboration builds character and cohesiveness amongst the people involved (it may sound corny and cliché, but it doesn’t take away from it being true). Collaboration builds pride, trust and compassion, which is important in the betterment and furthering of any nation or community.

Competition is good, if it’s in a healthy sense, where you strive to become the best at what you do, and nothing is wrong with that. Where competition becomes unacceptable is when one becomes so competitive to the extent they feel the need to pull down others in order to be seen as the best; which in a sense doesn’t really make you the best, it just puts you ahead of everyone else. In the end whoever may have been dragged down, but they will still be the better than you are.

Bearing others burden shows them that there is still someone who cares and that love really does still exist in the world; again sounds corny but there is still great truth to it.

Understanding and helping rather than criticizing and scrutinizing help us all to realize a nation we can be proud to be a part of, and it helps to uplift not only the people but the overall nation as well. Just think if everyone were to uplift instead of bringing down, then instead of one person reaching the top, only to be quickly replaced by another eventually, if we were all to rise together then we will all be at the top and as such things will be better. It may be slower than if we went at it ourselves, but in the end it is more rewarding for all to be at the top.

I read an article the other day and in it the writer stated, “Real leaders don’t point out the wrong, but find ways to make it better”.

I urge us all to leaders, uplift our brothers and sisters and be each other’s keeper.

All the Best.