By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. When a man leaves this world, be he righteous or unrighteous, he leaves something in the world. He may leave something that will grow and spread like a cancer or a poison, or he may leave something like the fragrance of perfume or a blossom of beauty that permeates the atmosphere with blessing.
Dead men do tell tales.
They are not silent, but still speak to those who will listen. From many thousands of years ago, Abel speaks to twentieth-century man. Because Abel believed God, he offered a better sacrifice. Because he offered a better sacrifice, he obtained righteousness. One was a shepherd and the other was a farmer.