Proverbs 3:27–29
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Say not unto your neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you.
Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.
Following up after the first lessons about fearing God, trusting God, and loving God, comes now the second greatest commandment—to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is put forward in several extremely relevant, everyday applications.
“Withhold not good from whom it is due.” Defining “good” is not always easy. The motive to do good for another person comes first from love or a selfless desire to provide for the betterment of that other person. This can only come by the supernatural work of God in the heart. Jesus Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, because He wanted the best for us—salvation from sin, corruption, and death. He wanted to take us to glory with Him.
But then, wisdom is still needed to determine what is that good thing which would provide for the betterment of our neighbor. What profit would there be to redistribute all the money from rich pockets to all the poor people in the world? Is this the “good” due unto the poor? Money wrongly placed can actually corrupt those who receive it. Our Lord made a wisdom call when He prioritized the dispensing of expensive perfume on His feet over distributing money to the poor (John 12:1-8). That itself was a wisdom call.
First, therefore, we want to look out for ways to best serve others around us. How may we best profit them by our words, our money, and our service? How would they receive these gifts? Doing good for others requires a sensitivity to the needs of others, and instinctively recognizing opportunities to bless them. The verse here encourages us to immediately follow through when the opportunity presents itself. For example, we come upon a lady trying to change a tire in the cold rain on the side of the road. Instantly, we are presented with the question, “Shall we pull over to assist the poor woman?” If we are in the mindset to serve and have been all along, most likely we would not rush pass her and go on with our lives. We will pull over to help. Likewise, if a mother, sister, or wife exhibits signs of exhaustion at the end of day, the serving mindset jumps at the opportunity to finish the chores and allow her some well-deserved rest. Let us not put off opportunities to serve when we know that this is the right thing to do.
Verse 28 specifies that “good deed” as following through on financial obligations. These might include taxes owed (Rom. 13:4-6), legal debts (Ps. 37:21), or paying employees ( Jas. 5:4, Jer. 22:13-17). Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan also provides the picture of the person to whom we owe service—that immediate need God has brought into our pathway. He calls us to “love our enemies,” and to “bless them who despitefully use us.” We owe love to all (Rom. 13:8), and we are called to do good to all men, but especially to those of the household of God (Gal. 6:2, 10).
While there is a world of needs all around us, none of us have all the power, the resources, or the ability to address all of it. So the text qualifies the imperative—to do good “when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”
“Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.” The Apostle similarly describes love this way—“Love thinks no evil.” The potential of the human mind to run toward evil thoughts is not to be underestimated. Relationships are quickly ruined by these spiritual parasites. How easy it is for the corrupted mind to think the worst of family, friends, and church members! Whether this be presuming the worst of them, prejudging their motivations, exaggerating their faults, not forgiving their offenses, envying their gifts, or thinking of ourselves as better than our neighbors, we all need to be saved from this noxious corruption. Jesus said that “out of the heart come evil thoughts” (Matt. 15:19). Only a heart cleansed by the blood of Christ will set us in the right direction.
Where there is a legitimate fault taken with a brother, Jesus tells us to “go” to him immediately and work it out (Matt. 18:15-20). Evil surmising allowed to fester in the mind will only further deepen the animosity and exasperate the conflict between parties. The other party grows horns on the back of his head in the mind of the offended one—as if he were turning into a demon. The sinful mind concocts these false impressions. How quickly this is resolved by going to the brother, confessing sins, and making it right!
We are called to a “renewing of the mind” (Rom. 12:2). Every day, let us think carefully about our own thinking. How will we use this instrument of the mind today—for good or for ill? Today let us commit to think upon that which is true, pure, lovely, and of good report, and filter out everything else. Whatever demonic suggestions flit about our heads, having no rooting in truth, must be tossed out immediately. We have no time for the whisperings and accusations of the devil— whether he accuses us or our brother. Actively resist. Pray a blessing for the brother instead. And, let us repent of all uncharitable thoughts. Why should our thoughts threaten and assault our brother, when all the while he supposed himself to be safe with us?
1. What are the first and second greatest commandments?
2. What opportunities to do good have opened in our lives? Have we passed over opportunities to do good in the past?
3. How did Jesus Christ exemplify selfless love for us?
4. How do we sometimes think wrongly about others? What are some of the best ways to control our thoughts, and continue to think in the right way?