A GIVE RICH STRATEGY
Proverbs 11:25 CSB
25 A generous person will be enriched,
and the one who gives a drink of water
will receive water.
I know, I know, another clickbait title, but as always, there is a grain of truth to the title of this devotional.
“The generous person will be enriched.” Our minds tend to run straight to money when we see a verse like this one. And yes, there is a principle that is in play that pertains to money. Jesus said give, and it will be given to you. Paul wrote that we reap in life as a direct result of what we sow. In fact, Paul said in Galatians 6 that God is not mocked; whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. Does this principle apply to financial sowing? Short answer, yes. But does this principle of sowing and reaping apply to other areas of our lives as well? Again, the answer is yes. This verse says the generous person will be enriched. And generosity can apply to other areas besides financial.
The generous person can be generous with their time and their help. This is the person who is willing to give of their time and resources to others. A man in a German concentration camp noticed that the prisoners who thrived best in that toxic, negative environment were the ones who were willing to share their food and help their fellow prisoners. The prisoners who were consumed with their own survival suffered the most. It’s the generous person who will be enriched.
The people pursuing their own happiness are the least happy as compared to those who invest in others. God established the principle from the foundation of the world. There is sowing and reaping. Sow a little, reap a little. Sow a lot, reap a lot. There is something about having a generous spirit that opens up our world.
And we see the principle repeated in the second part of the verse. The one who gives water will receive water. This is not a chicken or the egg question. God’s principle is not reaping then sowing. It is sowing then reaping. We must plant some seeds if we want to reap a harvest.
APPLICATION
So, a great question we all have to answer for ourselves is in what areas of my life do I want to see a greater harvest? When we have determined the answer, we then start sowing seeds in those areas.
Do you want more friends? Then befriend someone. Reach out and bless the people around you. Do you need someone you can talk with? Sow seeds of listening to the people in your life. And by the way, that is a sure way to gain friends; everyone loves someone who is interested in them and listens. And here is a fun one. Do you want more time? Then sow time in serving and blessing God’s kingdom. Sow time in fellowship with the Lord. Remember, God is not mocked; what you sow you will reap. As you spend time with Him, He will bless your remaining time. There is no downside to becoming a generous person.
PRAYER
Lord, help me break out from my limited self and become the generous person who enriches others and gives.