“My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you. Don’t pick a fight without reason, when no one has done you harm. Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!”
Proverbs 3:21-35 NLT
Solomon outlines that doing good has a tension behind it. Here he speaks about having a sense of urgency. Good should not be withheld. Whether that is doing right by you neighbor or doing your work for the day, it is better to treat each moment as an opportunity to accomplish these tasks then to let them sit for another time. This is wisdom. In the converse, those who don’t intend to do good seem to plot to do harm. It seems that for Solomon, these two “types of doing,” live on a spectrum. Therefore, Solomon is quite clear that not only does doing good place you in God’s favor but that doing bad places you outside of it. This he defines as wickedness. It is simple advice, but in truth, is difficult to live by. It does seem to be true that those who live for comfort and for the reality of “not having to do,” often times become those who do the most harm. By their intent to manifest a blessed life, they pillage land, people and resources. But those who live symbiotically with the ideology of “a hard days work,” as a virtue, no matter how blessed they are, tend to be salt of the earth people who live content lives and have very few enemies. We should seek such an existence.
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