“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)
Every student of the Bible understands that we have an obligation to others. Everyone knows that God expects us to give, and to do the best we can—in abundance when able. We just don’t do it! We usually try to get by giving or doing as little as we can. We totally ignore the principle of going the second mile (Matt.5:41), all the while bragging about being “Bible believers”. The truth is that we generally do just enough to maintain our “respectability” among others, seeming unconcerned about the sin we commit.
Here’s something you might want to think about. When we are able to go the second mile and don’t we are just as guilty as the person who refuses to go the first mile. Disobedience is sin—period. The man who doesn’t tithe at all is no more guilty than the person who is able to tithe and give an offering, but refuses to do the latter. Yet we criticize the one and commend the other–but God condemns both! We aren’t accountable for what we can’t do, but we are accountable for what we could do.
What is in your hand–under your control? What will you do with it? We are forced to make a choice. We cannot be neutral. We either obey or we disobey. The choice is ours. We know what it should be, but it remains to be seem what it will be.
Remember this–Being average puts you as close to the bottom as it does to the top. You are either the best of the worst or the worst of the best. Either way you are in bad company. God demands and deserves our best. And He discerns whether or not we actually give our best. He is never deceived. Think about this– “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” ( 2 Cor 9:7)– HDS ( 12/7/08, revised)
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
