Determining Good
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27
Deserve – This is simply an impossible verse! No one can do this. Can you imagine the consequences to your own life if you really did good to all based only on whether or not you are able? Let’s see: My friend is out of a job. I have some money. Therefore, I give it to him. My neighbor is sick. I have a lawnmower. Therefore, I cut his lawn. My co-worker is behind. I have caught up. Therefore, I go do his work. An acquaintance is mourning. I have time. Therefore, I go to be with her. You can see how the list will grow – too large! How can I make myself and my resources available to anyone who is in need? What will be left for me? How will I take care of myself?
Ah, God’s Word rescues me. It doesn’t say I have to do good for everyone, just for those who deserve it. Now I get to decide if this other person is good enough to merit my help. Really? Is that what it really says? Does that interpretation square with the character of God? Did He decide to do good only for those who deserved it? Let’s take a closer look.
The Hebrew construction here is very odd. It is mibe-alav. Literally, this means “from its owners.” But what can it mean to say, “Do not withhold good from its owners”? The root word ba’al is indeed about ownership so if we read this word as if it were about the possessors of good, then we are forced to think of good as ethical, not practical. If they are the owners of what is practically good (good things, for example), then they already have what we are instructed not to withhold. That’s nonsense. So, there must be another way to understand this word.
Behind this odd word is the idea of moral obligation. Those who “deserve” it are the “owners” of your moral obligation. Who are you obligated to help? Everyone who holds your moral IOU. In this unusual sense, they have ownership over you. Now think about those you are morally obligated to help. Who comes to mind? Better write down the names because as soon as you consider the question, I am quite sure the Lord brought someone to mind. I’ll bet He reminded you of more than one. And as you start to think about your moral obligation, the list will probably get longer. But don’t get overwhelmed.
The second part of this verse explains how you are to do that. You are to fulfill your moral obligation to help in whatever way it is within your power to do so. There are two interrelated questions here: 1. who must (not “should”) I help? 2. how can I help? We have seen that mibe-alav does not limit goodness to a particular class or type or group. Now we discover that how I help is not limited either. Whatever is within my power to do, I must do. Of course, not everything is within my power. If you are losing your house to foreclosure, it is probably not within my power to prevent that. But I can do what is within my power. And according to the Word of God, I am obligated to do so. God’s way is the no-excuses way.
I remember when Rosanne and I lost everything in a financial scam. One pastor we talked with said, “Your problems are just too big for this church.” He offered nothing. As Rosanne and I walked away, she said, “You know, we still have to pay the electric bill.”
“If it is within your power,” says the Lord. It’s not optional, is it?
Topical Index: good, moral obligation, mibe-alav, ba’al, ownership, Proverbs 3:27
My shoes are a little tight and pinching my toes this morning. Well that is the metephore that fits your comments this morning, Skip. Thank you.
Hi all
There are things in my power that are not in His plans. Jesus only did what the Father instructed Him to do and Paul did not get to go to all the places he wanted to, to preach the Gospel because there was always more to the picture then meeting needs we see. Father knows the whole situations and the how, and whys, and what He is desiring to do, and the timing He wants to do it, whether it is just to meet a need, or to discipline, or to conform them to His image inwardly through a trial of patience. Whatever it is His view is bigger. My view is very limited to what should be done, and I can let my “good doing” get in the way of His more perfect way if I don’t let Him be in charge by His Spirit. Peter thought it good that Jesus not die, but the better plan was that He die. My good rescues can be misplaced and mistimed, getting in the way of His better plan unless I am following His Spirit.
Have a blessed day,
Kay
You are certainly correct, but the instructions of Torah, even concerning the obligation to others, are written for the man or woman who is lead by the Spirit, not for the one who is simply looking for a rule. God brings me into circumstances that allow me the opportunity to hear Him and follow Him. Sometimes I am thrust into situations where I am expected to act according to His prior instructions. Sometimes I act and am corrected. But nothing can be achieved by the application of a rule without the walk.
Shalom Skip,
Within the last few TW messages there has been some very relevant discourse regarding “mercy” as well as “obligatory” dispensation of assistance (tovim)! Topics often misunderstood!
There never does seem to be a hard and fast rule (well at least one that can mentally be fashioned) with respects to this dynamic. Within The Word we encounter the principle of supporting those in the community …. and then again we see where the outsiders also receive both mercy and support.
With the state of this old order of creation, and yes even here in our native USA, we see (if we look) an overwhelming need by many. Yet at the same time we know that Adonai is about personal interaction … He is about relationships! Once again the big issue … balancing the needs of the many versus the few?
Skip’s commentaries once again bring us back to this dynamic and what is the solution? …. The solution seems to be walking by and in faith. Mentally I just can’t seem to get it right …. but in faith things become clearer. In faith it is Adonai orchestrating these needs that are presented to us.
Our not holding back the good really needs to be a reflection of His character and is also meant to be the tactical spreading of His Kingdom. As such it would seem that, as Skip points out, we should look for those that we have moral obligation too …. look for those that probably know our faith and chances are the goodness being dispensed is purposeful.
Conversely let us never be dull to the movement of Ruach HaKodesh when The Lord puts us smack in the middle of “that situation” when someone is crying out for relief …. chances are it is an opportunity to be like Yeshua! As it is declared in The Word …. Let brotherly love continue; be mindful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unknowingly.
Skip … this lastest commentary on the issue really helps me define when I am getting in the way of Ruach HaKodesh …. the mandate of moral and personal obligation really does not let me wiggle away so easily!
Thanks, Drew. As always, more clarification for us all.
On the contrary Skip …. this string of commentaries was very tactical and created for me much introspection …. the idea of focusing on one’s sphere of influence is very tactical but also very pragmatic. The clarification was simply a result of pondering the commentary!
Now to capitalize even more on the opportunities right under my own nose!
Skip’s Word Friday,Oct.30
Do You See Me? Part 1
“How do you get God’s attention when you have nothing but your need? This woman teaches us a great lesson. Need is enough. She does not stand on protocol. She does not consider the consequences. She does not wait for the right setting, the right attitude or the right contact. She “caws” after God. She steps boldly forward and makes her need known. She has no other way. On every other basis, she is excluded. But need overcomes all other reasons.
Do you have needs worth “cawing”? Why are you waiting to cry out to Him?”
Greetings to all!
Skip asked me to write and encourage all of you. Our home was in foreclosure because of my husband having been laid off from his job. We had no choice but to file Chapter 13 to save our home. We had everything set up with a lawyer last Friday{we had been speaking with him for 2 weeks prior) when they informed us at 4:00 p.m. that we we in the wrong district. (Our home was up for sale Tuesday.)They were scrambling to help us find a lawyer that would take our case in our own district. 5-6 lawyers later, one said he would help. We went and met with him when he informed us we had to have more money. That was Saturday morning…. we had two days left..and I had jury duty selection Monday morning. I started crying out to G-d. I got into my closet,my tallit and shut the door. We scraped up $200 and still needed $289, that was all that was standing between saving and losing our home.
Skip’s word Saturday Oct 31
DO You See Me (2)
Faith – The Canaanite refugee “caws” in her desperation. “Have pity on me, Son of David.” Her plea is not accidental. The title she uses (Son of David) says something important. This title was associated with the expected Messiah. The expected Jewish Messiah. But this woman does not belong to the people of the Messiah. She knows she does not belong. So she uses an official title that says, “I believe you are the Jewish Messiah, the expected one. Won’t you have pity on me even though I am an outcast?” Perhaps she did know her place. It was the place of exclusion.
We have exhuasted all resources for the $289. People were now telling us that we need to just accecpt the fact that we are going to lose our home and there is nothing we can do about it. One thing I have learned through the years with my Lord, is that you never, never give up. You do everything you can do…and then wait upon the Lord. Never give up!
Skip’s Word Monday, November 1st
Determining Good
“The second part of this verse explains how you are to do that. You are to fulfill your moral obligation to help in whatever way it is within your power to do so. There are two interrelated questions here: 1. who must (not “should”) I help? 2. how can I help? We have seen that mibe-alav does not limit goodness to a particular class or type or group. Now we discover that how I help is not limited either. Whatever is within my power to do, I must do. Of course, not everything is within my power. If you are losing your house to foreclosure, it is probably not within my power to prevent that. But I can do what is within my power. And according to the Word of God, I am obligated to do so. God’s way is the no-excuses way.”
Monday morning at 7:00am when I read this as I was getting ready for jury duty, I said to the Lord, this is so ironic, Skip’s word is going right along with my situation, what is going on? When I get to court, after staying until 12:00, I asked the clerk to be released because of my urgent need to take care of my situation. She refused. When I went into the courtroom for selection, the case was about a foreclosed home being vandalized. How coincidental? I was not selected, and released at 4:00. After calling family members, friends,again, nothing. It was now around 8:30pm , I emailed Skip for prayer. I did not want to ask for money, after all I was not dying, there were others in much more need than me. Skip called me almost immediately. Got the info, called my lawyer, and my lawyer did not answer his phone…….should I just give up, go to bed, forget it, maybe G-d was trying to show me that this was His will, that this should happen, even so, I was willing to accept that, for He knows things we don’t, it is always for our good, and He is in control of everything that happens.
Tuesday morning at 9:30am our case was filed and our home was saved!
Do you have needs worth “cawing”? Why are you waiting to cry out to Him?”
Skip’s Word Tuesday, November 3
Scribal Error
When I withhold benefit by deferring good, I sin. It’s as simple as that. I say to the Lord, “Lord, I really don’t believe You govern the universe. You didn’t bring this person in need before me. It’s merely an accident. And since it’s an accident, I have no obligation to act on this now. I can wait until a more opportune time. Fate will make it happen again if it’s supposed to be that way.” In other words, I decide how the universe should be run.
Who’s my neighbor? The next person I encounter who needs help
I teach Torah class at my local church. It is not a messianic congregation. Imagine that! What Skip is teaching is the truth. It is biblical, it is Torah! It is prophecy being fullfilled and we are blessed to be participents of this. Remember, never, never, give up. G-d is in total control, no matter what your circumstance. One more thing, the Torah portion this week is Vayera
וירא
“He appeared”
Torah reading:
Genesis 18:1-22:24
Prophets reading:
2 Kings 4:1-37
Gospel reading:
Matthew 8-10
Torah-just do it!
Thank all of the community for being a part of this miracle. May G-d bless you
Robin
Thanks for writing Robin. At God’s Table was more than blessed to help you cover the laywer’s fee. I am sure that he was surprised to hear that a total “stranger” would volunteer to pay. But it wasn’t me. It was all of you who made a commitment to At God’s Table to help each other. May you be blessed!
Skip