One of the greatest blessings in life, in my estimation, is the opportunity to give. When we give out of a generous heart, our souls are full of the love of God. After all, “For God so loved… He gave,” (John 3:16). When we give what we have, cheerfully, to others, our hearts, in return, reap great rewards.
The scripture bears witness to this truth. Proverbs 19:17 (ESV), says, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.”
I love it when I realize that the Lord himself will repay.
I’ve seen this happen in real life. When I have given what I had in my hand, or my wallet, or my bank account, the Lord himself has watched over my needs in ways that I could not have imagined. His supernatural ability to provide for us and our family, supersedes our ability to understand it.
When we give, God does the rest.
When the Lord speaks to our hearts to give. . . a certain amount… at a certain time… to a certain need… we have the opportunity to partner with Him, and to partner with His nature, His character, and to see His will done on earth in the lives of real, everyday people, in real extraordinary ways.
Another passage in Proverbs 11:24-25 (ESV), says, “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
I have witnessed how some people operate, and I have been grieved in my soul, at the greediness and the selfishness that is often prevalent. Some people have the wrong perspective that, “What’s mine is mine.” Still others have it worse altogether, and act as if to say, “What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is mine.”
Some people don’t have the heart to share the smallest things, but yet wonder why they suffer want. And sometimes what they want is something that money cannot buy—but God could give, if they would partner with Him—and give what it is they do have.
I believe that the exchange that God wants to make with the small stingy things we have in our hands is such an awesome upgrade, that if we knew what it was, there would be no hesitation on our parts. We would willingly and eagerly give to anyone who has need, even our neighbors who might need a cup of sugar. We would gladly give and share.
But sometimes, we may not realize that we are being tested. If we’re not willing to give or to share, then we are withholding a blessing not only from them, but from ourselves, as well.
May the Lord give us all a generosity of heart, and may we be willing to give and to share our love, kindness, encouragement, patience, good deeds, assistance, cheer, compassion or financial provision to whomever God sovereignly puts in our paths every day, knowing that He himself will repay, and we ourselves will be blessed with spiritual blessings, in return.
Article Written by: Debbie Harper, Ph.D.
