I may have put my studies with Elisha at a halt (for now). As I was reading the Tecarta Bible verse of the day, a good study would be Proverbs 11:17. I’m posting the KJV from above though I’d like to share the ESV translation. The ESV says, “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” This is pretty much the law of action and reaction. How one treats others determines how one treats themselves.
This reminds me of how people can take pleasure in their being cruel. Some people seem not to have a smile on their faces until they’ve done something mean like insulting someone (which is just the least of what they can do), psychologically torturing someone, destroying somebody’s property, or even doing bodily harm. It makes me sick to think about how some people in torturing someone in brutal ways. It does feel good to be bad but what feels good isn’t necessarily good for the body. It may feel exciting to get drunk, take dangerous drugs, be sexually promiscuous, or just do anything that pleases one’s sinful nature. However, these things will eventually bring ruin no matter how long it takes.
A commentary by John Gill gives light on this matter:
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul
Or “to himself”: a man of mercy or grace, a liberal bountiful man, he comfortably enjoys what God has given him, ( Ecclesiastes 5:18 ) ; and he does good to others with it, and thereby does good to himself also; as well as he is solicitous in a spiritual sense for the good and welfare of his immortal soul; but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh;
a sordid avaricious man withholds from himself that which is meet, will not allow himself the necessaries of life, nor will he provide that which is fit and convenient for his family; he hides himself from his own flesh, and will not communicate to the wants of his nearest friends and relations, and shuts up his bowels of compassion against his own brother; all which may be called a troubling his own flesh; see ( Isaiah 58:7 ) . R. Levi Ben Gersom interprets this of such who place religion in afflicting and macerating the body by fasting, which the law does not require; and it may fitly be applied to the Papists, who do this by penances and fastings, and whippings and scourgings; and which the apostle calls a neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh, ( Colossians 2:23 ) .
Dr. Matthew Henry also writes of this matter in his complete commentary:
It is a common principle, Every one for himself. Proximus egomet mihi—None so near to me as myself. Now, if this be rightly understood, it will be a reason for the cherishing of gracious dispositions in ourselves and the crucifying of corrupt ones. We are friends or enemies to ourselves, even in respect of present comfort, according as we are or are not governed by religious principles. 1. A merciful, tender, good humoured man, does good to his own soul, makes and keeps himself easy. He has the pleasure of doing his duty, and contributing to the comfort of those that are to him as his own soul; for we are members one of another. He that waters others with his temporal good things shall find that God will water him with his spiritual blessings, which will do the best good to his own soul. See Isa 58 7, etc. If thou hide not thy eyes from thy own flesh, but do good to others, as to thyself, if thou do good with thy own soul and draw that out to the hungry, thou wilt do good to thy own soul; for the Lord shall satisfy thy soul and make fat thy bones. Some make it part of the character of a merciful man, that he will make much of himself; that disposition which inclines him to be charitable to others will oblige him to allow himself also that which is convenient and to enjoy the good of all his labour. We may by the soul understand the inward man, as the apostle calls it, and then it teaches us that the first and great act of mercy is to provide well for our own souls the necessary supports of the spiritual life. 2. A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, troubles his own flesh, and so his sin becomes his punishment; he starves and dies for want of what he has, because he has not a heart to use it either for the good of others of for his own. He is vexatious to his nearest relations, that are, and should be, to him as his own flesh, Eph 5 29. Envy, and malice, and greediness of the world, are the rottenness of the bones and the consumption of the flesh.
Whether we want to admit it or not, we’ll reap what we saw (Galatians 6:7-9). Apostle Paul’s letter demonstrates the principle. If one sows corruption then one can only expect to reap corruption. If one sows in the Spirit, it will be for the best. People who are kind to others may not always get it repaid. People who are cruel to others seem to be enjoying their best life now. Notice, however, it’s their best life now. Cruelty is really a mark that one’s an unsaved individual. People may enjoy their cruel actions for now but history has several records of the downfall of cruel people. You may read about the brutal legacy of tyrants and criminals. You can imagine how most of them have very cruel ends. Some may have died in power but they have no peace at all. You may notice some people who were very cruel may no longer live the good lives they used to. They can get sick or poor with people who’ll find it hard to feel sympathy for them. Though Christians are told not to take pleasure in the downfall of the wicked (Proverbs 24:17-18).
If they may seem to get away in this life–remember that there’s still Hell waiting for such people with a greater degree of punishment. Hell has been reserved for several types of people. Right now, a lot of cruel people are in Hell as they’re obviously unsaved. Hell will be very just punishment for such people.
The Christian command is to do good anyway regardless of what others do
The command to do good is to just keep doing good. Galatians 6:9-10 has Paul saying to never be weary in doing good. There’s no such thing as instant results. Christian growth is never instantaneous. Rather, much sin must be unlearned in the process. The same goes for the life of good works of the believer. Christians are told to find the opportunity to do good to everyone. This isn’t about being a doormat or allowing dangerous acts to take place. For example, if a criminal enters your neighbor’s house or you see a person in danger, do good by calling the proper authorities. Doing good to those who don’t deserve it is also an act of kindness. It means not partaking in the destructive activity the offender does. Is the person mean or cruel? The recommendation is to love one’s enemies, pray for persecutors, and give help to enemies in need. It’s a very bizarre command but not taking revenge means not partaking in the cruel activities. There’s an old saying that two wrongs never make a right. Just because the other person is a mean person is no license to be mean to the other person.
The motivation to do good can be found in Matthew 5:11-12. The Beatitudes are the blessed life of the believer. There will be mean people. However, the Lord Jesus says that blessed are those who are persecuted for His sake, to rejoice and be glad because great is the reward in Heaven. Sure, a lot of Christians have lost a lot in this world. Some may even be physically disabled or deformed due to persecution. I’ve read of tortures done to Christians here and there. Yet, this body of flesh is destined to perish one way or another. One can die young or die old. When a person lives longer, the body gets weaker. God has prepared better deals for people in eternity. It becomes worth it to get saved resulting in a sanctified life. It’s because living for Christ may have that high cost but the value is truly indeed infinite.
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