There is a famous poem by Robert Frost. Two roads diverged into a yellow wood. I could not take both. It concludes by saying two roads diverged, and I took the one less traveled, and that has made all of the difference.
In Genesis, Chapter 4, the first two brothers that ever lived on earth took two divergent and different roads. The elder brother took a road that led to curses, and the younger brother took a road that led to blessings. Their names were Cain and Abel. Cain eventually took the life of his brother Abel.
God asked Cain, "Where is your brother?" Cain gave one of our modern answers, and after he had told that callus untruth, he turned around and, to cover his behavior, raised the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 22:37, Jesus declared the first and great commandment. He said thou shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. What he was saying was that everything that makes you, you ought to serve God with that.
And in Matthew 22:39, Jesus says, the second commandment is like unto the first. And that is, you shall love your neighbor just like you love yourself. If we practice that principle in society, we will eliminate many prejudice and problems.
We live in such an interrelated world and society that we no longer can afford the luxury of walking by humanity and human beings on the other side of the modern Jericho Road. We laugh at people who are having problems with drugs and alcohol in their family, but let me tell you, laughing is catching.
Be careful. It may not be long before it shows up in your family. We criticize people who experience this in their family; however, it may not be long before it shows up in your family. We condemn the violence that is happening in the other folks' families. Be careful how you point your accusative and critical finger at somebody else because it may not be long before the same thing appears at your front door.
I read a story about a fruit grower in California some time ago. Someone asked him how he protected his crop from insects and bugs. He said, "I always start with the best available trees. And then, I work on the soil with the best knowledge available."
The farmer said, "On each side of me is an orchard. There is one to the north, one to the south, one to the east, and one to the west. And before I spray my orchard, I spray the other four orchards that do not belong to me because I want my orchard to have clean air, so it can ultimately produce good fruit."
So, his secret of success was the commandment, "Thou shall spray thy neighbor as thyself." In other words, if you are going to bear good fruit in this life, you have to be concerned about your neighbor as much as you are concerned about yourself. Because if you don't spray your neighbor's orchard, the bugs and fleas will make their way to your house.
Dr. Charles Reynolds Brown, the former president of Yale University, was asked this question. "Are you your brother's keeper?" and he answered with an emphatic "No." He said, "I am not my brother's keeper until I become my brother's brother."
In John 13:34-35 Jesus says, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciple if you have love for one another.
Be encouraged!
Rev. Chestine Sims Jr. of White Hall is the pastor of St. John AME Church at Pine Bluff. The community is invited to join the church for worship in person and on Facebook live at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Editor's note: Pastors, ministers or other writers interested in writing for this section may submit articles for consideration to shope@pbcommercial.com. Please include your phone number and the name and location of your church or ministry. Writers should have a connection to Southeast Arkansas.