Romans 15:2, Do Good to Your Neighbour

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

The Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to practical piety to do good to your neighbour. Bless your neighbour and you will not be poorer for it. The mentality of the fallen man is to exact advantage or good from your neighbour. But the Christian ethos is to do good to your neighbour.

I was with my grandmother recently, she told me that her mother taught her to practice this principle from a young age. Although the family was poor when she came to Singapore in those earlier years from China, she lived within her means. She mentioned how the other neighbours have the habit of borrowing from their neighbours. She said that her mother taught her to live frugally with contentment and you will still be happy even though you may not have any of the good things of life. Truly, if we would accept that whatever state we have is God’s lot for us at that time, we are willing to submit to His purpose for our lives in those times, God blesses such a one. She remarked that the family could still bless their neighbour with the little they had.

As Solomon wisely said in Proverbs 21:20 “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.”

Bridges explained well, “we may thankfully enjoy the prudent gathering, as the fruit of the Lord’s blessing (Proverbs 10:22). This is not the forbidden “laying up for ourselves upon earth” (Matthew 6:19), a hoarding for selfishness and distrust of God (Luke 12:16-2). This treasure is in the dwelling of the wise. For prudence is not worldliness (Proverbs 10:5; Genesis 41:48); an indifference to coming trial, is not faith, but foolish simplicity (Proverbs 22:3)…Even the cottage of the godly poor often contains this desirable treasure due to Christian diligence. Yet poor indeed is the palace, where the Bible with its stores of unsearchable riches is not the grand treasure, and where the oil of gladness, while it poureth out richly, is not his choicest comfort.”¹

May God’s people make an impact on the world for Christ with the practice of such godly virtue. Amen.

¹ Charles Bridges, Proverbs, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1846, 383.