Proverbs 19:17-19 (ESV)
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
The person who helps the poor helps the Lord himself. By lending to the less fortunate, the godly woman lends to the Lord, who values all human life. God will repay her for her kindness. But the one who oppresses the poor is sure to face the judgment of God. So too the woman who loves her son will discipline him. Parents who fail to biblically correct their children set them up for eternal death, as loving discipline drives folly from the child. The man with an unreasonable spirit should not be bailed out of his troubles. He must experience the natural consequences of his ungodly behavior. When we try to repair circumstances for others, we can end up interfering with God’s corrective discipline. Does someone in your life continually need you to clean up his or her mess? If so, maybe it’s time to back off and let God work his will in that person’s life. Stay out of the way of the Holy Spirit.