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If you know...to do good and do not do it, it is sin. This saying is part of scripture and found in James 4:17. Do we always do good every time we have the opportunity? Doing good for others is not particularly difficult and indeed should be a great joy. The Bible even says so in John 13:17. Furthermore we read in Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith”. Wise words we must pay attention to and give great heed.
When we are not in a hurry or have plenty of time on our hands doing good should not be a problem but how about when things get a bit more challenging as we struggle for sufficient time? That is precisely when we show God what our true hearts look like, whether we are genuine, or whether we are just going through the motions, or even if we are prone to compromise under pressure. We have the power to do good and this good can take many forms, whether physical in acts of helping through ability or gifts, knowledge in fixing things, cooking meals, sitting and listening, writing a note or sending a get well card, even just a few kind, heartfelt words to encourage. It may mean the “world” to someone who is depressed, sad, or stricken with grief.
Within this article is an example of a scenario which unfolded around me and left me found wanting...I might add severely wanting. At the risk of self justification I would just like to add that at the time I was in a rush. Recently we have not had the whole day to prepare for the Sabbath as we have been on the road for about 5-6 hours since early morning travelling home from a country destination where I’d been working for most of the week. This long journey completely drains our fuel tank and we must fill up again when we get back to base. The only filling station with reasonably priced fuel is about 20 km away so we need to fit that into our schedule on top of everything else. That gives us about 4 hours to get everything done when we arrive home which is optimistic at best. Some hours later when home resting I had time to reflect on my very poor behaviour and was quite disgusted in myself. What was I thinking?! That’s just it — I wasn’t thinking with the mind of Christ but with my own faulty human carnal mind...it was all about me, my time, my needs.
The only day I have limited time is the Preparation Day. Rather ironic isn’t it? I have a full day off work (usually) to engage in all the activities and errands needed before the Sabbath arrives. But more and more I seem to find myself becoming slightly anxious and agitated if I cannot get everything completed before sunset and put this down to the much reduced time plus the fact that my dear husband is still in a Moon Boot using crutches (10 weeks and this should be over with). These days we move more like turtles rather than greyhounds...not ideal but necessary. Our childish sense of humour is still intact despite all the challenges. The variables faced that can go wrong usually involve longer time travelling due to roadworks or poor driving from drivers who do 40 km/hr in a 60 or 70 zone; and from those who do not understand the road rules of turning right at intersections when the green arrows finish but one can still be out in the intersection to turn right. All these things occur on Fridays and are not really noticed the rest of the week...but then again I am usually at work or not trying to get things done before the sun sets.
The scenario involved a mother with her two young boys in an Aldi store. They were behaving brattishly running around, touching things, carrying on verbally, and getting in the way of customers. I tried to find the two items I came in for quickly and get out as fast as I could but it wasn’t going to be that simple today. Everywhere I went they seemed to want to go too. I like children ordinarily but well behaved kiddies with consideration for their elders. The mother was talking to them nicely but they were not taking much notice. One of the boys could have done with a quick smack on the leg to jolt him into reality. He was like a windup toy on steroids calling out loudly over and over again until he got what he wanted. Of course the child was not smacked and he just kept on moving about erratically until he bumped into me. Thankfully I did not drop what was in my hands. The mother said sorry and I found myself pursing my lips in frustration. I gave no eye contact and for that I regret what I did and also what I did not do. To add insult to injury I even muttered out loud a short distance away “those kids are behaving like brats”. I don’t think they heard this but I should have not even said it as my self control was affected. My buttons had been well and truly pressed. I was not angry. It was more disappointment and frustration that things were not as they should be.
How should this situation be handled? Simple...I should have been thinking about these people and not myself and my “precious” time. I should have looked the woman in the eyes and said you need not apologise...it is okay...perhaps (junior) should be the one apologising instead? Therein lies one of the problems of today. Imagine seeing a child being smacked in the supermarket now? It was fairly routine back 40 + years ago. Children knew they had been naughty and we accepted our punishment. When we saw other children being smacked it was a reminder to behave ourselves so we would not be on the receiving end. We knew our mother loved us and cared about us otherwise she would have just let us run wild.
Getting back to the naughty boys in the store — I should have spent a few minutes to let the boy know he should be careful because some of us older people cannot get out of the way quickly and glass jars break causing a lot of mess, damage or injuries with cuts and blood, making for a potentially dangerous situation. Perhaps he would have listened to my firm but loving warning admonishing him to be more careful? I may have left him with an indelible memory etched on his heart causing him to think twice and behave in the future? Perhaps he would have just laughed or ran off? The thing is I will never know now. Opportunity missed. To the mother I must have really looked like a grumpy old woman with a frowning face. If I had the chance to do this scene over again I would love to show the frazzled mum some love, patience and understanding.
It is hard getting children to behave well when out and about if they are not properly supervised because we must teach and train them when they are young, always being consistent and follow up with reinforcement. Children know if they can get away with things and know if someone has weak character. They will not respect this way at all. This is why sadly so many children and teenagers run amok damaging store goods while parents have either given up, don’t really care, bribe their kids to behave, or are absent leaving them to their own devices while they shop pretending not to notice the trail of destruction left behind. It reminds me of the scripture found in Isaiah 1:4, 12, and 3:4. Also in 2 Timothy 3:1-2 which says “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ...”. Yes there are still some decently behaved children around but seems like few and far between while the world is sliding downhill fast. It looks to me that parents are trying to be their children’s (best) friend rather than their parent, with some afraid to teach right from wrong in case their children become upset. With all this political correctness no wonder the youth of today behave the way they do. It is madness and there will be severe consequences for this crazy mixed up way of life. We reap what we sow and that is becoming more and more apparent these days (Galatians 6:7).
So it seems as though Fridays will be the time when more than likely I will have to slow down a bit and pay careful attention to any opportunities to do good. This is challenging to me as I watch the clock super carefully on this day. The thing is if I am being tested and found wanting it is sinful. The act of doing good when it is in the power of our hands to do so is not actually a hard thing to do as we are capable of doing it. Nobody is asking me to fix a broken down car on the side of the road (no idea) but even for this scenario I can now use equipment to start the battery up as we keep the Jump Starter in the boot of the car just in case of anyone breaking down. The irony so far is that we have needed to use it on our own car several times over this last couple of weeks rather than to help others. I think God is trying to tell me if I think of others before myself I will end up getting blessed without even expecting it.
This example is a much needed reminder to slow down, think about others rather than being self absorbed. Yes it is nice to get all the errands done and dusted but what about all these teaching lessons which are valuable in sowing seeds for the future? Do I want an exasperated mum remembering me as the “grump” or a woman who can look me in the eyes one day in the future and say “Thanks for giving me a few words of encouragement that day in Aldi when I felt like throttling my son”. We are living in a world of extremes now and it is our duty to do good where and when we can. No more excuses, no more disappointing God. I have repented and now look forward to the next time of actually doing good. Practicing the way of give rather than the way of get is truly loving others and doing good. King Solomon wrote under inspiration wisdom found in Proverbs 3:27-28 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbour, ‘Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,’ when you have it with you”.
At the conclusion of the matter both can be done. The errands can be sorted into two groups...those that must get done, and others that can wait till after the Sabbath. All those moments of doing good to and for others must take precedence if we truly are to become more like Christ. Remember in scripture where it says about all those things that Christ did when he was alive, that they could not all be contained in books as the world was not large enough to contain them? We can read this in John 21:25. Furthermore, Psalms 40:5 displays beautifully for us “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered”. Wow!