FAITH CAPSULE: Doing good can be very challenging but its blessing often leads to unimaginably great reward.

Genesis 24

It is not good enough to know about doing good. It only becomes good to know and to do good when situation demands doing good. If doing good is a source of getting blessed then knowing to do good and not do could possibly generate a curse. Abraham, in his attempt to get Isaac a wife commanded his oldest servant “…Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (Genesis 24:2-4) The servant obeyed Abraham’s command and went to Abraham’s country. He prayed, “…O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”(Genesis 24:12-14) Just as the oldest servant finished praying to God, Rebekah showed up and the servant approached Rebekah asking her for a drink.
Out of the goodness of Rebekah’s heart, she responded to Abraham’s servant stating, “…Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.” (Genesis 24:18-20) Rebekah’s delivery of good beyond the request of the servant was a demonstration of an abundance of a good heart. Rebekah gave beyond the imagination of the servant and that left the servant in a wondering position, “And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.” (Genesis 24:21) Rebekah’s act of doing good was out of a good heart and it was beyond the imagination of the servant. It was the good act out of her heart that linked her to a family with generational blessing from God. Give no excuse not to do good.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace which enables man to do good when situation calls for doing good.