"Do not say to your neighbor, 'Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it.' When you now have it with you."
One of the principles of wisdom is that you do good to people when it is available to do.
Too many of us put off good things for silly reasons. We don't tell our spouse that we love them because it seems silly. We don't compliment our children on a job well done because they should just do it that way all the time. We don't encourage the person who is down because they might take it the wrong way. We don't put on a positive attitude because we just want to be grumpy and negative.
This proverb deals with the issue of someone in need coming to you to borrow something you have. But you make them come back again because it is more convenient for you at that time, or it could be that you have the person come back to suggest your superiority over the person in need.
This proverb also deals with the issue of a person who works for you and has come to be paid. It is not right to withhold payment to that person when you actually have the funds to pay them.
Wisdom does the positive, right thing every chance it can. It doesn't wait to give compliments. It doesn't wait to express love and care to loved ones. It doesn't procrastinate in helping or doing something for another. It doesn't have the mindset that “I will help if it suits my schedule or it’s convenient for me.” It helps.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz