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Home , Abel, Abel (DC Comics), Adam and Eve, Cain, Cain (DC Comics), Cain (play)

John Gallo & Jenna Bieber

Lessons from and Abel to Guide Leaders Through Turbulent Times A worldwide pandemic. Social unrest. Economic uncertainty. Political divide. A recent poll shows that 80% of Americans feel that our nation is spiraling out of control. The end result is that many Americans have become angry, divided, and sometimes even hostile toward one another. We are living in what’s called an “anger incubator,” just waiting to explode. Being a leader at this delicate and fragile time in our nation’s history presents a staggering amount of challenges.

In all organizations, leaders must contend with a diverse workforce that may be at odds over the various social issues that we face. Leaders are also being asked to examine both their organizations and their own lives for areas of institutional injustice in their policies, processes, and organizational culture.

Though Scripture was written more than two thousand years ago, it can still guide today’s leaders to explore issues of hatred, bias, anger, and division in their organizations. There is no quick “fix” to end animosity, incivility, discrimination and racial strife within organizations or even society at large; it does not exist. The issues affecting companies, communities, and neighborhoods are multi-layered and nuanced. Because of this, it is valuable to examine the reasons why hatred exists and how responds to it. Not only does God’s word in Scripture show us why hatred exists and where it started, but it can also provide a way forward. Hatred 101: Cain & Abel

To encounter the deep hatred that causes people to harm one another, one does not have to look far in the . details the very first murder, pitting brother against brother in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. When God created the world and made the first man and woman in His image, and , he gave them what is known as the “cultural” or “divine mandate”: God wanted to populate the earth, to take care of it and help it flourish abundantly. When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command to preserve one tree for God’s honor or glory alone, all that was pristine and perfect in the world was suddenly marred, and had entered creation.

That sin causes Adam and Eve to hide from God in , causes Adam to blame God for creating Eve, and ultimately results in their banishment from the beautiful garden God created for them. These events set in motion the first murder, recorded in Chapter 4.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. (Genesis 4:1-2, ESV)

Adam and Eve began the divine mandate by conceiving children to populate the world. The phrasing in verse 2 (“and again, she bore his brother Abel”) leads some commentators to infer that perhaps were twins. We do not know that for sure, but we do know they must have been close to the same age since they grew in their roles at approximately the same rate. Cain was a farmer and Abel a . These are the first two occupations mentioned in the Bible, representing the primary types of work that were needed in creation at this point: tending to the land and tending to the animals.

3In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. (Genesis 4:3-5, ESV) We can infer that at some point, God asks for an offering. What happened next is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. Cain and Abel brought their offerings, but the Lord found favor with Abel’s offering and not Cain’s. This is not to imply that because Abel brought a living and Cain brought fruit, God favors shepherding over farming. Nothing could be further from the truth. The wording here is critical to see the problem:

Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.

Some translations say Cain brought “some” fruit. The key here is not what was delivered, but the heart with which Cain brought it. Cain just brought some fruit. Abel, on the other hand, brought the best of his work (the firstborn calf which would have been the best and tastiest meat.) Abel gave God his best, but Cain simply gave him some of the fruit of his labor. As a result, God favored Abel’s offering. Cain was terribly angry, and the phrase “his face fell” is synonymous with shame. Then, he turns that anger and shame into jealousy of Abel.

6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7, ESV) God warned Cain that this feeling was going to consume him and that he needed to control his jealousy, or it would destroy him.

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:8-9, ESV).

Cain did not heed God’s warning. He allowed his jealousy and anger to consume him, and his heart turned hard toward his brother. In the end, Cain took Abel’s life, and—showing no remorse—even lied when questioned by God.

As leaders in modern society, what can be learned from this excerpt of the Bible as we navigate tensions in our workplace? Leadership Principle #1: Leaders hold people accountable for sin.

It is essential to understand that when God confronted Cain, he already knew what Cain had done. After all, God is sovereign; He is all-knowing and all-powerful. Nothing happens that God is not aware of and thoroughly involved in. While God did hold Cain accountable, he didn’t just barge in and say, “Cain, I saw what you did.” Instead, he asked Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”

Many times, people mistakenly believe that leaders should simply provide the answers. However, the mark of authentic leadership is often not in the ability to simply provide solutions but in the ability to ask the right questions.

In today’s organizations, leaders have a responsibility to look deeply for areas of systematic racism and division, policies that are unjust and could lead to resentment, individual prejudices among staff and self, and other forms of discriminatory behavior. The murder of Abel took place “when they were in the field.”Cain and Abel may have been family, and Cain’s hatred may have stemmed from a personal matter, but Abel’s murder took place in the workplace. As we see from this example, private hatred often leads to public action. In order to be proactive, leaders must be able to address issues of discrimination and hatred in their workplace, preferably before any actions caused by those beliefs occur.

In order to do this, leaders must hold the organization accountable by asking questions to get at why those beliefs and attitudes exist. And of course, leaders need to listen intently to the answers. This is a technique that uses throughout the . Questions elicit a response; they cause a dialogue. This practice can be as simple as examining an HR handbook and asking critical questions about various policies: do these policies favor some groups over others? Alternatively, it can be as deep as looking at the organization’s mission, charter, and bylaws and asking difficult questions about the goal of the organization: does this goal inadvertently favor some people over others? Do the hiring practices of the company unintentionally discriminate against certain groups of people?

A note on Principle #1

As leaders strive to hold people accountable, it’s important to be aware of a few other things we see in Scripture. Cain does not immediately tell God the truth; instead, he covers it with a lie. Leaders need to be aware that simply asking difficult questions does not always get to the truth because people are sinful. As with Cain, sinful behavior leads to more sinful behavior. Our culture is full of “quick-fix” solutions to the many problems that we face in terms of anger and division. Some may think it’s as simple as removing symbols of perceived hate like changing the name of a football team or college mascot; others may believe that money will solve the problem and end inequality. However, the Christian leader knows that systemic things like racism and hatred are the effect, not the cause. The Christian leader views these issues as part of a more significant systemic sin problem that all people have.

The 20th-century philosopher and Christian leader Francis Schaeffer called people “glorious ruins.” He said that people were glorious in that we were made in the and bear that image in our rationality, our creativity, our ability to have relationships, and our ability to communicate with one another on many different levels. However, we are also “ruins” in that sin has decayed and distorted that image. As a result, people harbor prejudice and discrimination. Organizations do not function correctly. Leaders do not lead perfectly. Our communication is prone to be misinterpreted and distorted. And sometimes, even our attempts to rectify a problem can lead to multiple other issues because we cannot make perfect decisions and discern the effects of those decisions with perfect and just wisdom. Leadership Principle #2: Leaders institute justice when wrongdoing occurs.

Notice now in our story of Cain and Abel that God does not stop at holding Cain accountable.

10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth” (Genesis 4:10-12, ESV).

After Cain lies to God, He immediately provides justice for the wrongdoing of the killing of Abel. God essentially sentences Cain to life without parole. First, he is going to work the ground as a farmer, and he is not going to be prosperous. This is a proverbial death sentence for a farmer to know that their efforts will be futile, and their livelihood will be taken from them. Then, God also says that Cain will no longer have a home and will instead be a wanderer and a fugitive away from his family and the people he once loved.

When a leader today observes injustice in their organization, they have a responsibility to act swiftly and right that wrong. For example, some companies may have dress codes that inadvertently discriminate against hairstyles or that may be representative of a specific culture (and that are not related to employee or customer safety). Leaders have an obligation to engage in honest conversations with employees about these policies and to strive to effect change by listening, researching, and then advocating. At times this will not be easy, and in fact, leaders may run up against credible opposition. However, leaders must work to correct the issues as soon as they observe them. Leadership Principle #3: Leaders balance justice with mercy.

Nevertheless, the story does not end there, and leaders must not stop at instituting justice when wrongdoing occurs. Let us look again at scripture to see what happens:

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the , . (Genesis 4:13-16, ESV).

Cain had the audacity to worry that he would be murdered because of the punishment that God gave him for being a murderer. God had every right to deny that request, but showed righteous mercy on Cain and put a mark of protection on him to preserve his life (and his punishment). Likewise, leaders need to be able to balance justice with mercy as they rectify issues of hate.

It is extremely important to balance justice and mercy together. Without mercy, justice can take the shape of quick and callous retribution, ignoring the more significant or deeper issues. And without justice, mercy can become sympathy without action. Both justice and mercy are needed to deal with underlying sinful behaviors, as God shows in his responses to Cain. So if I follow these three principles, harmony, peace, and equality will exist in the workplace, right?

Not so fast.

Christians should know that these three principles, along with other “recipes” or “prescriptions” for reconciliation and justice, may be well-intentioned, but they can never provide a complete in our organizations or our society. The Bible shows us there is only one way the differences that divide us can ever be reconciled:

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are ’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Ephesians 3:27-29, ESV).

It is only through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ that there can be a true restoration and real equality and harmony. In Paul’s writings, he often implied the converse in his teachings. That means this passage also states that without Christ, there is male and female, slave and free, black and white, etc. In other words, without Christ, the differences will continue to divide us. That is why solutions from our government leaders or our culture warriors always fall short. You can remove monuments and flags, add holidays and hiring quotas, spend money on minority hiring and training programs, and more, and there will still be issues of inequality, division, and hatred in our society. Only through Christ can those earthly differences unite us; apart from Christ, these solutions attempt to put bandages over wounds that only Christ can heal or eventually, they will bleed again. So does this mean we give up and ignore these three principles?

No.

However, wise leaders should temper their expectations in an organization or workplace. They should expect that adjustments in policies and HR manuals can only begin to make an effective change if they resonate in the heart of the individuals. But because these issues can only be solved through Jesus Christ, Christian leaders relentlessly seek the Lord’s wisdom. They prayerfully, tearfully, and hopefully devote themselves to the principles of accountability, justice, and mercy.

I have personally read the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter to the Birmingham jail at least a dozen times, each time gleaning something new from it. What I find fascinating about this particular letter--something that our culture tends to overlook in revisionist history—is that Rev. King’s concern for the segregation policies of the 1960s was not based on some notion of “social justice” or secular equality. From King’s perspective, segregation was an affront to God. Quoting Aquinas and Augustine, King says this:

Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.” Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. : An unjust law is a law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. . . Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful [emphasis added]. (King says this)

King tied the issue of racial equality to sin, and the only one capable of absolving sin is the Lord Jesus Christ through his shed blood on the cross. Christian leaders should understand the earthly limitations of their ability to help right these wrongs, but that should not deter them from doing what God has called them to do—participating in His kingdom work of reconciliation. Leaders ought to submit their efforts to the Lord and seek His wisdom and guidance in their daily decisions.

Later in his letter, King showed how it takes everyone to affect change, not just those who are adversely affected by inequality and hatred. Those of us who are not affected by these things in the workplace shouldn’t just turn a ”blind eye” to them and simply believe it is someone else’s battle to fight. Confronted with the deeply divided culture of the 1960’s, King’s concern was not just the mobilization of African Americans, but also the need for strong Christians everywhere to assist in the struggle for freedom. He states:

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection [emphasis added]. https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_ Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html Issues of reconciliation are not just the fight of a few. It takes Christian leaders from all political parties, ethnic backgrounds, and walks of life to make tangible differences in areas under their control. In some cases, this may require significant change to an organization’s culture. For example, it may take a dedicated minority management training program to be able to jumpstart more opportunities for people of color and women in management positions. It may also involve continuous small, seemingly insignificant acts to affect change over the long term. For example, regular one-on-one meetings with everyone in the company to provide professional development and opportunities for staff to grow. Whatever role God places you in, the lessons learned from Cain and Abel can help provide a starting place for you to think through issues of reconciliation and how we respond to hatred, anger, and division. Leaders must provide accountability, justice, and mercy with eyes on the cross of Christ and with the heart of a servant to affect meaningful change. Geneva College is a Christ-centered academic community that provides a comprehensive education to equip stu- dents for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor.

We equip our students to be humble, empathetic, and Christ-like leaders in all they do so that they can not only improve their prospects, but their community as a whole and, eventually, the world.