Last week I was reading a book called Your Money Counts by Howard Dayton of Crown Ministries. It is a good read..

Much of the material is familiar to me but I wanted to share one new concept that is challenged me. Below is the verse:

Pr 3:27-28 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you.

The verse is from a chapter of the book on debt. Their application is as follows: “Godly people should pay their debts and bills as promptly as they can. We have a policy of trying to pay each bill the same day we receive it to demonstrate to others that knowing Jesus Christ has made us financially responsible.”

I have been in the habit of not paying bills until near their due date, esp. our MasterCard bill, which can be large at times. Sometimes this has been necessary as I would have not money to pay it in full until I got a certain pay check. That is no longer valid, and has not always been valid in the past. While I am not going to necessarily pay bills the day I get them, I am starting to pay the bills much more promptly since we can and it is money owed. It also has the benefit of not having late fees, which I have had from time to time when I would forget (not to mention the potential for damage to one’s credit rating).

But the verse has applications in non-financial areas as well. When we can do someone some good, we should not delay in doing it (giving people a phone call to encourage them, writing a note of encouragement, etc). My chores around the house or helping you with various needs you have are other applications that come to mind.

Dad/David