Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. NIV
Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. The Message.
This verse has really convicted me lately. Do not without good from those who deserve it. I’ve had to evaluate first whether or not I was guilty of withholding good…surely not you or me. Right?
When I started to think about the good I might be withholding I let myself off the hook, obviously the people around me don’t “deserve” the good I’m withholding. Look back at the verse, it says, “from those who deserve it”. So clearly the mandate of doing good isn’t to do good to everyone. Every find yourself thinking along these lines…”of course I could help you out with what you need, but I’m not quite sure you’ll learn the lesson if I bail you out”? I have found myself thinking that way before.
Thankfully, God doesn’t think along those lines. He gave me the good I didn’t deserve way before I learned any lessons or proved my ability to grow in deserving it.
Here is what I’ve trying to understand and implement-
Good is so complex.
It is food to the hungry,
it is a hug to the depressed,
it is help to the busy,
it is babysitting to the single mom,
it is encouragement to my friends,
it is time to my dad,
it is playing catch to my son,
it is reading books with one daughter and wrestling with the other one,
it is acknowledgment and time with my wife.
You see the good I could do, is different with the different people I find in my life. It is complex, but it isn’t hard to do. To do good isn’t going to solve everyone else’s problems. That is what most pastors and Christians try to do for each other. We try to fix everything. How about this? Let’s quit trying to fix everything and each other. Instead let’s do the next good thing- it is in our power to act.
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. NIV
Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. The Message.
This verse has really convicted me lately. Do not without good from those who deserve it. I’ve had to evaluate first whether or not I was guilty of withholding good…surely not you or me. Right?
When I started to think about the good I might be withholding I let myself off the hook, obviously the people around me don’t “deserve” the good I’m withholding. Look back at the verse, it says, “from those who deserve it”. So clearly the mandate of doing good isn’t to do good to everyone. Every find yourself thinking along these lines…”of course I could help you out with what you need, but I’m not quite sure you’ll learn the lesson if I bail you out”? I have found myself thinking that way before.
Thankfully, God doesn’t think along those lines. He gave me the good I didn’t deserve way before I learned any lessons or proved my ability to grow in deserving it.
Here is what I’ve trying to understand and implement-
Good is so complex.
It is food to the hungry,
it is a hug to the depressed,
it is help to the busy,
it is babysitting to the single mom,
it is encouragement to my friends,
it is time to my dad,
it is playing catch to my son,
it is reading books with one daughter and wrestling with the other one,
it is acknowledgment and time with my wife.
You see the good I could do, is different with the different people I find in my life. It is complex, but it isn’t hard to do. To do good isn’t going to solve everyone else’s problems. That is what most pastors and Christians try to do for each other. We try to fix everything. How about this? Let’s quit trying to fix everything and each other. Instead let’s do the next good thing- it is in our power to act.
What is a good you could do today for someone? Share the story if you want.
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