Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. – Proverbs 3:27 (NIV)
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. – Proverbs 3:27 (KJV)
Theme: God’s Marching Orders
This week’s verse reminded me of this story:
A little while back a young man walked into a Target store in North Carolina to buy a clip-on tie. He was getting ready for his first-ever job interview (with Chic-fil-A) and his mother insisted he wear a tie to make a good first impression. Unfortunately, he didn’t own a necktie and neither he nor his mother knew how to tie a “normal” one. The Target store didn’t carry clip-ons — they only had “normal” ties — but the store employees rallied to help him prepare for his interview. They didn’t just help him pick out a tie, they also taught him how to knot the tie, showed him how to give a firm handshake, gave him interview advice (e.g., look the interviewer in the eye, say “yes sir” or “yes ma’am”, …), and even took the time to practice with him. The employees then cheered as the young man left the store. And yes…he got the job. Here’s a link to the story: Target Employees Help Young Man Prepare for First Job Interview.
This story “went viral” because it’s an example of people doing good things for one another. In a world dominated by news feeds of tragic incidents and bad behavior, it’s nice to be reminded of the enormous capacity for good that God has placed within us. Our verse for this week, Proverbs 3:27, tells us not to “withhold” that good from others when it is in our “power to act.” The word “withhold” is an important one, I think. It implies that we already have something and we’re holding it back or keeping it to ourselves. The capacity for good is within us — whether it’s simply a kind word, a hug of encouragement, or helping someone with more challenging needs — and Proverbs 3:27 says not to hold those good things back. And the next verse, by the way, tells us to act right away:
Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”– when you already have it with you. – Proverbs 3:28 (NIV)
If you’d like to read a few more stories of people doing good things for one another, here are a couple of links:
Employee Lets Teen With Autism Help Stock Shelves
Coffee Stand Employees Stop to Pray with Grieving Customer
Strangers Bought Car for Man Who Walks to Work
