When we turn our heads

"Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we didn't know about this,' won't He who weighs hearts consider it? Won't He who protects your life know? Won't He repay a person according to his work?"

Proverbs 24:11-12

I have a good friend who often says, "When good men fail to do nothing, evil prevails." Solomon's wise words here speak of inaction, rather than action. It is often in the church to speak of sin as being those things we do that are dishonoring to God, however, it is right to consider those things that we do not do which bring dishonor to our God. I've heard many in older generations pray for forgiveness of sins of "omission and commission;" I wonder if we shouldn't work to be more aware of our sins of omission.

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What is the message for Christians today from Solomon? What we do not do is as important in God's eyes as those things that we do. Just as there are certain things in this world that we should abstain from as Christians, there are certain things that we should never abstain from. JHWH is a God of the down and out, and as God's people we too must be ministers to the down and out, serving as God's hands and feet and not turning our head to the plight of the broken. Be sure, just as God will repay a person for her work, He will surely repay for our lack of compassion and caring in a world that is broken and dying.