Proverbs 11:27

What are your goals? What is your reputation? How does your life affect others? If the answer to all three questions is doing good and helping others, you will obtain the blessed favor of God and men (Luke 2:52). If the answer is to serve yourself and cause trouble for others, then certain punishment is coming from God and men (Ps 7:15-16; 9:15-16).

This proverb offers success or trouble. Which will you choose? The key is how you treat others. If you are good to men, you will be blessed. David and Peter wrote, “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (Ps 34:12-16; I Pet 3:10-12).

If you are selfish or hurt others, if you are critical or negative, if you are bitter or envious, or if you sow discord or irritate others, then you are in for a painful and troubled life. It is that simple. As the saying declares, “What goes around comes around.” David wrote, “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined” (Ps 10:2). You will be exposed and punished (Pr 11:29; 26:17-28).

Reader! Do not comfort yourself that you do not wrong others, that you stay to yourself and let them live their own lives. You will never be blessed. The favor of God and men is on those who “diligently seeketh good.” A wonderful life with happy days is only for those aggressively helping and serving others. Do not pat yourself on the back for being a loner and not bothering other people. Your life is a waste, if you are not a servant.

This wise lesson is not for intellectual exercise. It is for blessing and favor in life. Loving your neighbor is the second commandment, but God offers a reward with it – you will obtain loving favor from Him and others, which is of great value (Pr 22:1). “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10). You should do good even to your enemies (Matt 5:43-48).

You are alive to do good (Eccl 3:12), to serve (Mark 9:35; 10:44; Gal 5:13). You are not alive to have good done to you or to be served by others. That is perverse! Paul warned to not forget to do good (Heb 13:2,16), for your good service to others will be remembered in the Day of Judgment (Mat 25:40; Heb 6:10). Consider the blessings (Ps 37:1-5,23-28).

Who will benefit today from your life? You may only count family or employer, if the good you do is extraordinary and required diligence. Be a tree of life (Pr 11:30)! What good could you do right now for someone? Do it! Now! Why wait? You are being selfish! Knowing you could and should do good, and not doing it, is sin (James 4:17).