Week 5 Day 2

​Proverbs 11:24-26
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
 
 
Is this the prosperity gospel?  No, it’s not.  Remember, when you read Proverbs you are reading a work of wisdom, a book of principles that are generally true, not promises.  These verses describe how things generally work, even if it seems counter intuitive.  When you read these verses you might begin to wonder how all this works.  How does one who gives freely gain more while the one who holds tightly to what they have end up in poverty? 
 
It seems that verse 25 might give us a clue.  This isn’t about a balance sheet or the amount of money in a savings account, this is about people.  It is about the one who is generous for the purposed of refreshing others.  There is a general principle that is found in Scripture in many places including this passage, you reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7). 
 
Generosity breeds good will.  In other words, people are watching and when they see generosity they want to reciprocate.  On the other hand, when they see a person hoard resources there is ill will towards that person.  How can we be generous and build good will.  There is blessing in generosity, but in order to see it you have to look past the numbers, the account balance, and the profit and loss report.  Generosity is about relationship as much as it is about money.
 
Who can you say yes to today?  Pray for a generosity opportunity, look for it, and then do it!!