“Stan,” I began, “I was reading in the Book of Proverbs last night about doing good and not holding it back, and I’m wondering what you think is the most good I could possibly do for another person?”
“You could probably ask several people the same question and get several different answers,” Stan replied, “but for me, the most good I could and can ever do for other people is to tell them the truth of the gospel.”
“Okay,” I responded, “that sounds like a good answer. The verse I was looking at says not to withhold good from ‘those to whom it is due’. How do I figure out who that might be?”
“Well,” Stan replied, “I would check to see if they have a pulse. If they do, give them the good news of Jesus Christ! Don’t hold back. The good that you have in your power to tell them will, if they believe, change their eternal destination.”
“As well,” he continued, “it will change everything about their lives for the time remaining on this side of eternity.”
“But isn’t it kind of hard to tell people about salvation?” I replied.
“Did someone tell you about salvation?” Stan asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Are you glad they did?” Stan asked.
“Absolutely!” I exclaimed.
“I think that’s the answer to your question,” Stan said with a smile. “I think if I really believe what I say I believe about life eternally with God when it’s time, as well as the eternal life of knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son on this side of eternity, that nothing can be hard or difficult about sharing the Good News.”
“All I have to do,” Stan concluded, “is to acknowledge where I would be if everyone had held back the good of the Good News and I was never presented with the opportunity to accept the truth. When I do that, there is no holding back! Whether or not the people believe is not up to me, but not holding back certainly is my choice!”
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Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Proverbs 3:27.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of the Good News of salvation through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Thank you for those who presented me with the truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection so I can look forward to spending eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you, too, for the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not present the Good News to others so that they have the same opportunity for changed lives and changed eternal destinations. Please forgive me. And please help me in following every step of your lead to not withhold from any person you bring before me the Good News that you have for every person who believes. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: What do you think is the greatest good you can do for another person? If you agree with what Stan said in this devotional that it’s the Good News of salvation, are you sharing that with others? If not, what’s holding you back? Do you agree with the notion that every person is entitled to hear the truth of the gospel? What would it look like for you to freely share that Good News with every person God brings into your life?
Waiting for the Train 