WHERE'S THE RAIN?
Proverbs 25:14 NKJV
14 Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like clouds and wind without rain.
There is an old adage that may have come from Texas. "All hat and no cattle." Talking about someone who boasts and brags but has nothing to back it up. They may look the part, but that's all there is.
Our proverb for today is similar to the Texas proverb. And while it's not as humorous as its Texas counterpart, the Proverb verse came first. It references someone who is falsely boasting about what they gave. In the Hebrew culture, the people of God were encouraged to give. They would give offerings to the Lord. They would give to the poor. With no governmental programs available, the Jewish people were to make room for and help those with meager funds. When a farmer harvested his field, the Lord's instructions were to not harvest the corners but to round the corners and leave some of the harvest for the poor. When David gave toward building the magnificent temple of God, what he gave and what the people gave were recorded. And not for tax purposes. Giving has always been a part of man's relationship with God. The first murder was committed because of the contrast in the offerings of two brothers, Cain and Abel.
For some reason, a part of man's nature is to boast. To brag about what we have or have done. And in a giving culture, what someone gave was a source of inspiration and honor. Big givers were noticed. So bragging about giving must have been a temptation. But to brag about your giving and not telling the truth was all hat and no cattle. As when the wind picks up and the clouds roll in, but no rain follows, it was all for nothing—a big build-up by bragging but no results.
If we stop and think about it, falsely boasting about any area is wind and clouds with no rain. False is not okay in God's Kingdom. He is truth. His words are truth. Everything He does is in truth. It was Satan who Jesus referred to as a liar and the father of lies. That's a family we don't want to be associated with. It is such a disappointment to have someone tell you something good about themselves and have it turn out to be false. We are better off being truthful and trustworthy than false and fruitless.
PRAYER
Lord, I purpose to follow Your example and be a person of truth and substance. It's more about what You think than what others think every time.