I’m not really a Bible verse kind of person. I don’t really go around saying things like, “As Judges chapter something, verse something says,” or try to make my point in a conversation by saying “Acts chapter, verse” and then pausing for effect.

Other than a few notable exceptions, I’ll probably get which Gospel is which mixed up if I’m trying to pinpoint a particular word or action from our Lord and Savior.

All that being said, I recently was struck by a particular Bible verse to the point where I actually wrote it down (OK, typed it) and wanted to remember it.

It’s Proverbs 3:27. As it says in my preferred translation at the moment (RSV-2CE), “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.”

Upon reading this verse, I believe two things to be true — we have great power to do good, but we withhold it, and (as greedy as this is to think about) we have good being withheld from us.

Recognizing the ‘power’

Years ago, in a different arena, I once wrote a reflection about humanity’s lack of helping others, especially in moments where it would take little effort and would ease a great burden on the individual who needs the help.

I used the example of a grocery store customer who was having technological struggles with a self-checkout.

An employee passing by could have taken a few seconds, fixed the challenge in question, and everyone could have moved on with their lives happily.

However, said employee was on break or leaving for the day and therefore had no responsibility to help said customer and did not do so, thus delaying the process and continuing the challenge.

Is there any sort of legal or otherwise obligation for the employee to help someone if it’s part of their work, and they won’t be paid for it? Not necessarily.

Would it be a good thing to do? Yes, necessarily.

The Bible tells us there will be things in our power with which we can help others, and we ARE obliged to use them.

What holds us back from doing so? There are many reasons within a wide range of validity.

We don’t want to feel used, or we’re tired of feeling used. We don’t want to get in any sort of trouble. We don’t want to unintentionally make the situation worse and feel or become responsible. We’re lazy. We’re shy. Or, the ever-popular, we don’t want to “get involved”.

Our Lord and Savior would parable on this very idea in Luke’s Gospel (I thought I knew where it was, but I had to look it up to be 100 percent sure, accuracy and all).

I’m, of course, referring to the Good Samaritan. Others with the “power” passed the traveler, but a person who had no real reason or obligation to help did so anyway, and then some.

Sometimes the help we have the opportunity to provide can come at a cost to us, often time itself.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help you. I can’t dare get home five minutes later than I’d wanted to. I’ll pray for you though. Good luck,” hopefully said no one ever?

The effects of ‘withholding’

If we are to take the “not my monkeys, not my circus” approach to helping others, or rather, not helping, does that hurt us at all?

On a small and very human level, when people are not getting helped, they are getting upset, frustrated, angry, etc.

This can spread to others and have quite the negative effect.

A little effort could prevent this even if we don’t feel we’re doing a lot.

The more someone is helped, the more likely they are to help others.

It’s a good kind of “pay it forward,” and it won’t mess up the drive-thru lane and confuse the cashier.

Do we really want to live in a world where not only can we not be helped, but we know that we could be, and we’re not?

When someone’s 30 seconds of effort can ease my five minutes of frustration, and I can’t even get that, it can make a person feel less than worthy.

It may be a slight exaggeration, but really, it doesn’t hurt to help someone out by really just being your natural self.

It’s ‘due’

I’m not insisting that you drive around for a few hours and seek out every stranded motorist you can find that needs help, although, if that’s you, good for you, really.

I’m also encouraging you to take caution in recognizing when a situation needing help is real and not something dangerous — I know those exist.

I am hoping that we can recognize and be ready for those situations that do come up in our lives so that we can be helpful, especially the small things.

Maybe we really won’t get anything out of it, not even a thank you, but we might make the world around us a little better than it was a few minutes ago.

If we can’t even aim and strive to do that, we’ve lost the love, and we have a lot of work to do to get it back.

If everyone did one small thing to help others, not for any personal gain or glory, but because it was the right thing to do, we’d have thousands upon thousands, hopefully millions upon millions, of good and helpful things happening every day.

Wouldn’t that make everything just a little bit better?

The Bible does tell us so, after all.

Don’t forget this doesn’t just apply to those you like.

It applies to everyone you are called to love — thy neighbor.

Thank you for reading.

I’m praying for you.