The Sin of Doing Nothing
“Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again. In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself. Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.”
What has happened to good old human kindness and decency? Gone are the days when people would help others out of the goodness of their hearts. These days, if it doesn't benefit someone to help their neighbor, most people are content to sit back and watch their fellow man struggle or suffer. What's up with that? It's certainly not what the Bible teaches.
The above passage of Scripture highlights a few areas where a person could (and should) help others. I could summarize it by saying, "If your neighbor needs help, help them." It's not complicated. It doesn't take a Ph.D. or any special schooling. What it requires, however, is putting others above ourselves and taking action.
If the neighbor's dog has gotten out of its fence and wandered into your yard, take it back to your neighbor.
If your neighbor's trashcan blew over and into the street, pick it up and place it where it belongs.
If your friend has lost her keys, help her find them.
If your coworker drops his pile of papers, help him pick them up.
If you see someone who needs help, help them. Don't just stand there and commit the sin of doing nothing.
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.”
Now, there may be some who will say we are under no obligation to follow these instructions because they are written in the law, and we are living under grace. Well, "thou shalt not kill" was written under the law too, but that doesn't mean the command no longer applies to us, does it? Besides that, there are plenty of verses in the New Testament (written in the time of grace, not law) that deal with the same principle of being kind to our neighbors.
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ”
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
These are just a few of the verses where God makes it clear how He wants us to act toward our fellow man. Be kind. Put others first. Keep an eye out for those in need. It's not enough to "not be mean." Sure, that's part of kindness, but God takes it a step further. He says, don't just hold back unkindness; show kindness. Reach out to others. Look for ways to help.
How much better would the world be if we all practiced more kindness? If we saw a piece of paper on the floor of the church and picked it up instead of walking by. If we witnessed someone who dropped something out of their pocket and cared enough to pick it up for them. If we saw our fellow man hurting and cared enough to send a card or give a hug.
It's not about being asked, nor is it about being seen. It's not about getting a reward or a compliment. It's about doing good things out of the goodness of our heart because doing anything else would be wrong. . .even doing nothing.