But it’s not my responsibility!

“But it’s not my responsibility!”

That’s an age old excuse going all the way to the time of Cain.  When God asked Cain where Abel was, Cain replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  (Genesis 4:9)

But God did hold Cain accountable for Abel, particularly since Cain was responsible for Abel’s murder.

And God makes it clear in this passage that we are responsible for looking out for one another.  He said,

If you see your brother’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to him.

If the brother does not live near you or if you do not know who he is, take it home with you and keep it until he comes looking for it. Then give it back to him.

Do the same if you find your brother’s donkey or his cloak or anything he loses. Do not ignore it.

If you see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help him get it to its feet. (Deuteronomy 22:1-4)

God did not leave room for people to say, “It’s not my responsibility,” when it comes to helping our brother or sister.  He made it our responsibility. 

And he was only talking about your brother’s or sister’s possessions.  How much more does he ask us to care for the person themselves.

That was the attitude of the Samaritan in Jesus’ parable in Luke 10.  He saw the need of his neighbor and went out of his way to help him.

Why does God ask this of us?  Because he did the same for us. 

Can you imagine if Jesus had looked down at us, steeped in our sin, dying, and without hope, and just turned his back on us?

Can you imagine if he had looked at us and said, “It’s not my responsibility?”

But Jesus didn’t.  Instead, he humbled himself, leaving his place in heaven, becoming one of us, and then dying for us, even though we didn’t deserve it.

If Jesus did that for us, shouldn’t we be willing to do that for others?