Hello everybody! I hope you are enjoying a restful holiday weekend! My daughter told me that I was too long-winded on these posts, so I'm going to try to keep it to a minimum, but still give us something to think about. Ready?
Are your hands giving hands, or grabbing hands?
I realize that I have over-simplified things, but it kind of boils down to this. These three verses all speak about virtually the same thing, and promise us spiritual, emotional, and perhaps even material bounty. We are looking at a person who scatters, and a person who waters -- these are terms for giving. Giving freely and fully, whether offerings or kindly acts, is compared to refreshing dew and showers on a thirsty land. These offerings and kindnesses often come back to us and bless us, and we also feel happy because we have given cheerfully . . . see, we get "watered," too! By contrast, the person in these verses who "withholds" is sure to be disliked, and "tends to poverty" --- this can be poverty because they are not paying just debts, not providing what is necessary for the family, or it can be a poverty of the soul. We forfeit the blessing of God and the joy of giving when we are not gracious and generous to others.
The commentary I read said "God blesses the giving hand, and makes it a getting hand." Remember in the Gospel of Luke, Christ says, " Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)
In today's language, I guess Solomon would have admonished his son to "Pay it forward!" Leave me a comment and let me know what you think......
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35
ReplyDeleteIt is truly better to give (or help others) than it is to receive (anything)
Cyndi you are so 100% right!! But we much also learn to except with love - doing good is what the Lord's ask us. We except his love and that's a great example and only example to the after life!!
ReplyDeleteTonya - we have 49 days left and I can follow your blog daily - without electricty boy it's been a challenge for us!!
2 Cor 9:6-7 also points out today's truth:
ReplyDelete" 6. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."
Great post and comments!