Where is Abel Your Brother?

Frank Olize, the veteran Sunday night news magazine anchor of the Nigerian Television Authority, would always begin his show with the words: “My name is Frank Olize, do you know where your children are?” No judgement. No explanations. No further questions. Simply, “Do you know where your children are?” This question often brought deep concern in the minds of our parents many of whom did not know where their children were. For us, the “suspects,” that question was like asking our poke-nosing parents to do a quick roll call to know who was around and who wasn’t.

Why were parents uneasy with the first few minutes of every Newsline edition? For most, it was not for themselves but for their kids. Whenever Frank Olize asks “…do you know where your children are?” he was demanding responsibility. In effect his expectation was that at the very least every parent or guardian should be aware of the physical location of their wards. His question expects that parents keep watch over their children.

As it was with Frank Olize and his Newsline super-opener, so it is with God. Cain, the first child of the first family, murdered his kid brother because of a grievance he could not let go of. And just like Frank, God asked “Where is Abel your brother?” In less direct words, God could have asked, “Do you know where your brother is?” This was not God poke nosing into Cain’s business. No, God asked because (I think) of 3 reasons. But, before we go to the three reasons, it is good I say that “Where” in God’s legendary question to Cain might have referred to physical location but could easily have referred to attitude, beliefs, choices, actions, and many more. So, what are the 3 reasons?

First, he expected Cain to actually know where Abel was. Apparently, in God’s books, it is the responsibility of “brothers”: neighbours, friends, relatives, church members, team players, and many more “brothers” to know where one another are. Does this concern Cain? Sure does. Why? The next paragraph answers this.

God expected Cain to not just have knowledge of Abel’s physical location but to keep watch. He expected Cain’s eyes to hover over Abel so as to know where he was headed, what he was doing and about to do. He expected him to watch his back and ensure harm does not befall him. He expected that Abel’s life choices and actions would be Cain’s concern.

Lastly, God asked because he knew where Abel was. Abel was never missing to God. Frank Olize couldn’t have made God uneasy with his question. God knew all along. He knew when Cain’s anger snapped. He knew when the club hit Abel. He knew when Abel bled on the ground. He knew when Cain dug the earth and covered his brother in it. He knew all along because he kept watch. God was never ignorant of where Abel was. It was just that he expected Cain to be a “co-knower”

Do we?

Do we know where our “brothers” are? We – you, me – have “brothers” all around us. Daily they are bombarded with problems and difficult times. They are tempted, attacked, seduced, cajoled and pushed to the wall. They will make choices, follow friends, and walk on paths that may get them lost. Are we watching to know where they are?