Generous Leaders Prosper and Refresh

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 17, 2017

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

I have not met a generous leader who was not prosperous. Not always financially, but certainly relationally, emotionally and spiritually—giving leaders tend to be rich in what matters most. A couple comes to mind, who sponsor individuals and families to attend the Generous Giving Conference. They invest major dollars annually in 50 new people who they know will be touched by the Spirit to grow in their generosity. Jess and Angela find great joy in helping others discover refreshment in generous living. Leaders prosper and refresh when they help others do the same.

God’s economy is counter intuitive to man’s conventional wisdom. Proverbs teaches a generous person who gives freely is entrusted by God with more, a stingy person who holds on forfeits his opportunity to gain more from the Lord. God cannot place blessings in the palm of a hand that is balled up into a greedy fist. But He finds great joy in giving to those who allow blessings to pass through their open hands. Generosity produces prosperity and refreshment.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Do you look for opportunities to be generous with your time, money, wisdom and relationships? Does your generous giving enrich you and empower others to be generous givers? What you give for God’s kingdom is a secure investment with an eternal return. Remember those who took the time to teach and mentor you professionally, spiritually, in marriage and parenting. Pray about who you can do life with and help them grow from your mistakes, learning what success really looks like. Like a cold glass of homemade lemonade on a summer day–you will refresh!

Spend time preparing a generosity plan just as you would create a business plan. Budget your time to be with others for intentional mentoring, coaching or consulting. Your generosity plan may include a percentage of your business revenue in your giving fund at National Christian Foundation, an annual one percent increase in your giving from your personal budget or seeding a giving fund for your children to start practicing the habit of generous giving. Most of all, be generous with your time sitting quietly before the Lord and doing a great work with the Lord!

“I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you” (Nehemiah 6:3).

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