Brother’s Keeper

Every family journey is woven with moments of joy and trials that test our faith and compassion. As brothers, we’re called not only to share laughter and dreams but to carry one another through life’s darkest valleys, following the example of Christ’s sacrificial love. In the stories below—of a newborn’s first giggle and a midnight rescue—you’ll see how small acts of service and steadfast faith can light the way through even the hardest seasons. We are, in every sense, our brother’s keeper.

Welcoming New Life

• When my baby brother came to live with us at about six months old, his tiny hands and joyful coos brought new life into our home.

• Night after night, I stayed up with Mamaw, feeding him, changing diapers, and rocking him to sleep.

  I didn’t do it because I had to. I did it because I loved him—and because sometimes, love means showing up when no one else can.

  A Midnight Test of Faith

  • One night, my older brother collapsed after using synthetic drugs. At sixteen, I found myself dragging him—twenty years old and unable to walk—through the darkness back to our room.

  • Every step was a struggle. My arms burned, my legs shook, but I didn’t stop.

  • I didn’t know much about fatherhood, but I knew what it meant to be a brother. And in that moment, that was enough.

  Lessons from Brotherhood

  • Presence Matters: You don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes just being there makes the biggest difference.

  • Love is Active: Real love moves. It feeds, it lifts, it carries.

  • Faith Gives Strength: When the weight feels too heavy, God gives just enough grace to keep going.

Takeaway:

True brotherhood is about more than shared blood—it’s about shared burdens. Whether we’re holding a baby bottle at 2 a.m. or carrying someone through a crisis, we reflect the heart of Christ when we choose love, sacrifice, and faithfulness. That’s what being your brother’s keeper is all about.

You can find the full versions of these stories, and many more like them, in my upcoming book Me and Poverty—it’s a journey of hardship, hope, and the grace that carried me through.

In Jesus’ name,