“To give away is the wisest way to live.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 3, 2023
The generous will prosper, and those who refresh others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
My friend Clayton and his wife Emily have a purpose statement for generous living, “We strive to maximize our gifts, opportunities, and relationships to further God’s kingdom as we raise three amazing children and love each other unconditionally. We are faithful stewards of our time, talent, and treasure. We create fertile ground for the gospel and encourage others in Christ as we serve our family, friends, and community.” What I am learning from Clayton, Emily, and others is…to give away is the wisest way to live. Wise because generosity refreshes and prospers—prospering us with the true riches of relational health with the Lord and people. Generosity shows God you can be trusted with His blessings, and generosity refreshes you and those you love.
Proverbs clearly says that a generous life is a prosperous life, starting with a soul’s prosperity of joy and fulfillment. The waters of heaven generously hydrate and irrigate a prosperous soul with the goal of refreshing another thirsty soul. Spurgeon, with watering imagery, depicts refreshing others, “My dear brother, you may be a man of talent, you may be a man of wealth—just turn on the big tap, and let your ignorant or poor neighbors benefit a little by your abundance. Pull up the floodgates, and let the more needy brethren be enriched by your fullness—open that mouth of yours that your wisdom may feed many. Tell of what God has done for your soul that the humble may hear thereof and be glad.” To give away is the wisest way to live… prosper and refresh.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).
To give away is the wisest way to live. Wise because generosity is a loving form of accountability that protects us from ourselves. Our time, influence, and affluence require intentionality, so they serve God’s purposes and are not squandered all on self-indulgences. Another friend uses his influence at work to help employees pay down debt…and he is a banker! Ha! And, not surprisingly, as his employees prosper from debt-free living, the bank prospers by retaining grateful and great team members. A third friend just transitioned out of a 40-year career in corporate, and as he says, he is not retiring…just repurposing. After much prayer with his wife, they decided on a time allocation for his repurposing plan…a third of his time for family, a third of his time for mentoring, and a third for himself. Generous living prospers and refreshes.
And most importantly, look to the most generous gift of Jesus on the cross…who ultimately prospered you with salvation and refreshed you with forgiveness of sin and abundant living in Christ. Spurgeon continues as he ties a bow on God’s generosity for you, “Look into that face, bedewed with bloody sweat for you and can you not sweat for Him? Look at those hands pierced for you, and shall your hands hang idly down and not be used for Him? Look at those feet fastened to the wood with nails for you! Can I ask of you any pilgrimage too long to repay the toil which those feet endured for your sake? My brethren and sisters, remember what Christ Jesus has done for you, from whence He came, the riches which He left, to what He came, the poverty and shame which He endured, and how He went down into the depths that He might take us up to the heights. If you will think of these, you will have the best motive, methinks, for beginning to look after His lambs and fighting with those lions which seek to devour His flock. And in that moving motive will be the main means by which you shall be conformed to His image, and shall become like Him—self-sacrificing, doing your Father’s business.”
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17, NLT).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise You for giving me Your generous love and provision as I am refreshed by You, and I am able to refresh others with a grateful and generous heart. Help me glorify You as I remain faithful to my generous commitments to Christ. I trust You as I wisely give away my time, influence, and affluence. I am at peace knowing that you are faithful and loving to provide for all my needs through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Pray with your spouse on how to enhance your generous living with your time, influence, and affluence.
Related Reading
Matthew 25:21; Luke 12:48, 16:10-12; 1 Corinthians 4:2
http://www.spurgeongems.org/sermon/chs626.pdf
Worship Resource
Vintage Worship: Generous Giver
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