Genesis 4:2. How You Work Works on You

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Genesis 4:2 “And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”

We are not told who named Abel, whose name means “a breath.” He was clearly younger than Cain, but there isn’t enough evidence in the text to conclude for sure that he was the second child or if other children were born in between. Most important to the story, however, is the contrast between the two brothers, which begins in this verse with a brief description of their respective occupations. Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. The conjunction “but” establishes the tone that despite having very many things in common, there was a decisive difference between the two brothers. While both of their professions were equally noble, a lesson can perhaps be gleaned from the inspired author’s choice of verb to describe the two brothers’ habitual actions and thus their characters. Abel was a keeper, but Cain was a tiller. Abel took care of and maintained, while Cain stirred up, turned and overturned. How do you tend to relate to the things that God gives? With what attitude do you perform God-given duties? Are you a keeper, or are you one who stirs things up? The way you work today works on you, and the character of your work reveals your character. 

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Ezra James
The Word of God is bread from heaven. God sent it, but we must gather it, appreciate it, digest it, and live by it. These days it is increasingly scarce. Many are starving for it and don't know it because they keep feasting on bad bread that doesn't satisfy. But if we would learn to carefully gather up the fragments of the True, Heavenly Bread of Life, we would always enjoy a feast of crumbs, because even God's crumbs are miracles mighty to save (Mark 7:24-30). ESPAÑOL: La Palabra de Dios es pan del cielo. Dios lo envió, pero debemos recogerlo, apreciarlo, digerirlo y vivir por él. Hoy en día es cada vez más escaso. Muchos están muriendo de hambre por falta de él sin saberlo porque se alimentan de pan falso que no satisface. Pero si aprendiéramos a recoger cuidadosamente los fragmentos del Verdadero Pan Celestial, Pan de Vida, siempre disfrutaríamos de un banquete de migajas, porque hasta las migajas de Dios son milagros poderosos para salvar (Marcos 7:24-30).