Lesson of Giving - Proverbs 22:9

Proverbs 22:9

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

Generosity brings blessings. Are you bountiful and liberal in giving to the needy? Do you look for opportunities to give, or do you hide your eyes from needy causes and persons (28:27)? When you pity the poor, you lend to the LORD, and He repays well (19:17)!

God will bless the man who gives eagerly and generously. He looks out for the poor, for He withheld from them the abilities and opportunities He gave the rich. He is pleased to see a successful man giving cheerfully to help those in trouble. But it is not enough to think kindly about the poor; there must also be performance (II Cor 8:11; Jas 2:16).

Solomon wrote about caring for the poor elsewhere (19:17; 21:13; 28:27). And he also wrote about the financial returns to generous men, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (11:25). Contrary to arithmetic and the depraved human heart, giving your money away is a simple way to get ahead! Give, and it shall be given back to you in the same degree, so give generously (Luke 6:38)!

The LORD provided for the poor in the Law of Moses, when He commanded Israel to keep their hearts tender and their hands open wide to any brother in need (Deut 15:7-11). And there also He promised a blessing on those who would give. Job knew these principles well, and he appealed to his careful attention to the poor (Job 31:16-23).

David described many blessings on those who help the poor. Consider them. He wrote, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness” (Ps 41:1-3).

David also identified giving to the poor as a mark of a righteous man (Ps 112:1-9), which will bring many and precious rewards on a man and his descendants. Isaiah warned that the true worship of God required mercy on the poor, and he promised many wonderful blessings for the effort (Is 58:7-12). God is well pleased with such sacrifices (Heb 13:16), and He is able to repay in proportion to a man’s liberality (II Cor 9:6-11).

Capitalism motivates the most to produce the best for the highest standard of living, while justly punishing the foolish and lazy. Yet, God warns against charging whatever price the market will bear, when you control a needful commodity (11:26). God and men will reward fairness and generosity, though free market economics may allow gouging.

Mathematics and personal finance are only true to a point. If you withhold money that you could give to someone in need, you are heading toward poverty! If you scatter your money to godly charitable causes, you are heading toward increase (11:24)! Though you cannot calculate it or explain it, giving money away without worrying works (Ec 11:1-6)!

How about a long life and good life? The surest and fastest way is to honor your parents (Eph 6:2-3), and verbal respect and birthday cards are not enough. Full honor includes financial honor, or giving money to provide for them or make their lives comfortable and pleasant (I Tim 5:3-4). To not do this is to deny the religion of Jesus Christ and be worse than an infidel (I Tim 5:8). Have a bountiful eye to your parents, if they are in need.

But giving also proves eternal life. Paul told the rich to be “ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” By so doing, they could lay “up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (I Tim 6:17-19). Jesus Christ will remember any act of charity done to the least of His brethren (Matt 25:31-46).

Who can you bountifully help? It ought to be a priority of your life to help those that need assistance. It should be exciting! God has not charged you to help all the world’s poor, but He will bring opportunities your way (Luke 10:25-37). And He loves a cheerful giver, so be sure you do not begrudge the giving (II Cor 9:7; Acts 20:35; Rom 12:8).

The most bountiful eye in the universe belongs to the blessed God of heaven, the LORD Jehovah. He sends sunshine, rain, and fruitful seasons on all men, even His enemies (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:17). The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all His works (Ps 145:9). But far beyond daily natural blessings, He gave His only begotten Son to die for those who had no strength to help themselves (Rom 5:6; II Cor 8:9; 9:15).

Extracted from Let God Be True