BEING GENEROUS
PROVERBS 11:24-25, 28 NKJV
24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.
Here are three verses that give insight into a biblical perspective of abundance.
First is the counterintuitive idea of how increase comes. Scattering yet increasing vs. withholding more than is right. Abundance comes by sowing and giving, not holding back, and hoarding.
Withholding more than is right reveals a scarcity mentality. There is not going to be enough for me, so I am holding on to what I have. The problem with that mentality is that it's fear-based and leads to lack.
A scattering, giving mentality says there are more than enough resources. And by giving, increase comes. This aligns with the Biblical principle of sowing and reaping. Also, Jesus was the one who said give, and it will be given to you. (Luke 6:38) It is important to keep in mind these words were written thousands of years before anyone ever coined the phrase prosperity gospel.
Verse 25 says pretty much the same thing. The generous soul will be made rich. The generous soul would be the one who is scattering, sowing, and giving. Not the one who is withholding.
The one who waters will be watered himself. Again, a repeated theme. It's not a chicken or the egg question. Abundance and increase are a result of sowing, giving, and being generous first.
The last verse is simply a warning. Abundance and increase are good, but that's not where we are to place our trust. Trusting in our abundance is a dead end.
We trust God. We serve God, and we will flourish. If we consider God as our ultimate source, we look to Him, and that keeps us on solid ground.
PRAYER:
Lord, You are generous and gracious. By being generous givers of our resources, time, and energy, it will come back to us. But ultimately, our trust is in You.