Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Publius Syrus says, 'He gives twice to one in need, who gives at once.' The good Samaritan acted and gave to his neighbour instantly (Luke 10:29-36). The Greeks had an adage 'A slow-paced favour is a favourless favour;' and Seneca ('Benef.' 1: 2), 'That is a thankless benefit, which has long stuck in the hands of the giver;' for 'he who has been slow in doing it, has for long disinclined to do it.' Do not put off your needy neighbour with fair words, much less with contemptuous ones (James 2:15-16). Do not delay your charity until "tomorrow," for perhaps tomorrow will not be at your disposal, as today is. Some hindrance may arise in the meantime. Your wealth may perish, or yourself, or your neighbour, before tomorrow. You cause him to lose his time, you protract his torture, and put him to the shame of begging a second time. 'They who put off their beneficence until they die are like the pigs, which are never of use until they come to be slaughtered' (T. Cartwright). (Compare Ecclesiastes 11:2; Ecclesiastes 11:6.)