Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? Proverbs 24.11-12

We know that God does not give orders to those who are not His servant. He does not force anyone to do anything. So this order is exclusive to those who serve Him, and it is direct: “Deliver, save.”

There are three things here that caught my attention, and also the fear and the care that we must give our calling to fulfill our mission, because this passage shows the influence that this will have on keeping the Salvation of the soul of a servant.

1. Deliver those who are drawn toward death…

This is the beginning of our work with a person. We reach out to them to deliver them (deliver, heal, and solve their problems here in this world).

2. …and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter…

Now our God makes clear His true concern, which is with the soul. Because, between delivering from a problem and saving, there is a great difference, and He wants to save them eternally.

3. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

This, to me, is the last and strongest of the three points, because it is the one that speaks of the care we must have not to neglect the execution and the order in which we must do our work. Note that He begins by speaking about our mission and ends by making it clear that this will weigh on our Salvation when He uses the expression: He who keeps your SOUL, does He not know it?

The servant’s soul is compromised when he neglects and despises this direction!