Do Something

Obadiah 1
Verse 10-11 “Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel,
you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded,
you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth
and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies."

God pronounced judgement on Edom, because of the violence they did to their relatives Israel. What was the violence the committed, they refused to help Israel when their enemies invaded them. The Bible says they stood aloof and because they did nothing to help Israel, God said they acted like one of Israel's enemies.

It has been said that all that has to happen for wicked men to prevail, is for righteous men to do nothing. Edom did nothing to help Israel and the enemies of God's people prevailed. How many times have you stood by and watched people struggle, being overcome by the enemies of their lives and yet you did nothing. We have all been guilty of turning a blinded eye to the needs and struggles of others, but God doesn't take our complacency lightly. Not only does he lump us up in the enemies camp, but he also pronounces judgement on our lives. Proverbs 21:13 says "Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need." The cold reality of life is that one day we will all cry for help, maybe your cry won't be financially because of poverty, but your cry may come in the form of relational help; a broken marriage or a wayward child. The truth is we all need help is some form or fashion and the law of sowing and reaping teaches us that how we respond to the cry of others will determine how others will respond to us.

So the challenge for us today is to break the sin of Edom from off our lives and lets become people that are committed to always doing something to help those who cry out for help. Many times we are unable to do everything that a person needs, but we can always do something (prayer, encouragement, love) to help that person to meet the need in their life. Our support not only meets their needs but it enables them to defeat the enemy of discouragement and reclaim the victory that God has for their lives.