Walk of Life – Day 22 – November 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 22:9

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6.38

The bountiful eye is not one that sees riches but one that longs to share riches with others. The bountiful eye shall be a blessing, the eyes that look around and search for lives that it can bless. Giving is a beautiful habit. I have seen many rich people, persons who really have money in abundance, huge mansions, luxury cars, latest equipment, and everything possibly that money can buy. Strangely the more money people have, the lesser is the tendency to give to others. The love for money is the root of all evil. The greedy eye wants more, more, and more like the parable of the rich man in the Bible. The bountiful eye however shares more and more. The more you share, the more you receive. That is the divine principle.

There is a very sweet Christmas story that I personally love very much. It is a story of a little girl who had many dolls but she had one special doll named Miss Bump. She cherished and loved that doll very much. When Christmas came, her missionary parents kept a party for orphan children and she personally selected gifts for them. Her mother told her she must give what she loves the most. She had another doll and she decided to give that. But that night, her mother said Jesus gave all for you, you must also give the best that you have. So she lovingly wrapped Miss Bump, and the next day she saw a little orphan girl very sad and lonely. She gave her the doll she loved so much and the smile on that girl’s face made her feel so nice. Jesus wants the best and he wants all that you can give. Also remember He is no debtor of persons, He will reward you. The joy that she received in giving away her dearest doll was worth more than a hundred dolls.

Divine principles of giving:

1. God is the greatest giver – For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son…John 3:16
2. Giving brings us closer to the Lord – “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21  NIV – My heart will be where I put my time, my money, my resources, my life, my thinking, and my efforts. When I give more to the Lord and invest in His service, it will draw me closer to Him
3. Giving will strengthen your faith – The more I give, my faith is made stronger. When you have Rs 20 and the Lord asks you to give Rs 10, you trust the Lord for all your other expenses. The most beautiful translation for Luke 6:38 will be if you measure a cup and give, you will receive a cup in return, but if you measure a dump truck, you will receive a dump truck in return.
4. Giving means investing in eternity.  I Timothy 6:18, 19: Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. We all know we take nothing with us when we go to heaven. But when you share, you are investing it in heaven.
5. It all belongs to the Lord.  “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.”   Matt 25:14 – The Lord has entrusted us this life. It is ultimately His. Give to the Lord all that is His and He will reward you abundantly.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver not one who gives half-heartedly or for the sake of giving. The Lord appreciated the widow because she gave all that she had though it was only two mites. We need to give the best to the Lord, the first fruits not the leftovers. The best of our time, our talents, and our treasure needs to be given to the Lord.

“When the Lord blesses you, do not raise your standard of living, raise your standard of GIVING”

“Give out of love, not obligation. Give when it’s least expected.
Give without strings attached. Give from your heart.
Give of yourself. Give to show that you care.
Give help without causing helplessness.
Give something that takes personal sacrifice.
Give to make a difference. Give without keeping score.
Give for no reason at all. Give a little if you can’t give a lot.
Give without attracting attention to yourself.
Give without being asked. Give of your experience.
Give to those who need it most.”

“Your greatness is not in what you have, it is in what you give”