THINK TOGETHER.
Do you enjoy being kind and sharing? Why or why not?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 3:27-28. 27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 28Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
God’s law in the Old Testament teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The proverbs aren’t laws, but they do teach us the wisest ways to live out the laws of God. Here in Proverbs 3 we learn two of the wisest way to love your neighbor.
The first is to not withhold what is due to your neighbor. If you tell someone that you will pay them to cut your grass, you should pay them right away. Don’t wait to pay them. Why not? Because it is unloving to make them wait. If you ask your friend to trade Pokemon cards, and you take their card without giving them yours that is a way of being dishonest and unloving. Give what you owe right away.
The second way to love your neighbor is to simply give them something because they need it (not because you owe it to them). But it is unloving to say go and come again tomorrow, when you could give them what they need right now. In other words, Solomon is telling us to never put off being kind to others. If your neighbor (and everyone is your neighbor) has a need, we should meet that need right away. Here’s how pastor James says it in the New Testament.
James 2:15-16. 15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Here’s the bottom line: Don’t put off being kind and honest. Don’t wait to show love. Don’t WITHOLD what you have from others. Why? Because Jesus has given you all things to share, and he will fill you up with the love you need to love others.
Because of Jesus we have everything that we need.
With Jesus we never have to selfishly withhold anything from others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Is there a simple way you can help someone in the next 24 hours? Don’t put it off.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, help me to never withhold kindness to those around me. Amen.
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