Embracing a Generous Spirit: The Rewards of a Bountiful Eye
Proverbs 22:9
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Do you have a bountiful eye? If so, this would mean that you have eyes that look for opportunities in which to give generously to the needs of others. I find that many times people avoid those opportunities rather than searching for them. However, the Bible is clear that if we bless others in need with what God has given us, then we shall be blessed! When we are blessed by God, we are favored by Him and given the kind of success that only He can give. His blessings never run out, and they are never less than sufficient. If you want your barns to be filled with plenty, then help fill someone else’s barn that is empty! If you need some cash, how about giving out of your want to someone else, then sit back and watch what God does to meet your needs. I have come to the conclusion that God will only bless us as much as we are willing to give.
In Luke 6:38, Christ says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” God will pay you back for what you give (see Proverbs 19:17)! Remember the widow lady that gave her last cake to the prophet Elijah? It was out of her need that she gave, and because she did so, from that day forward there was always enough blessings at the bottom of her barrel to sustain her and her son through the famine!
Why is giving so important? Furthermore, why does it seem we are always instructed to give when we are most in need ourselves? It is because of the faith factor! In Mark 12:43-44, Jesus was comparing the large gifts of the rich with the meager gift of the poor widow. He said, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” It’s not how much money you give, but how much heart you give! Do not talk yourself out of giving because you don’t have much to offer, because God measures the gift by your level of faith, not in dollars and cents!
What has God impressed upon your heart to give today? Go ahead and obey, and a blessing shall come your way!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Do you have a bountiful eye? If so, this would mean that you have eyes that look for opportunities in which to give generously to the needs of others. I find that many times people avoid those opportunities rather than searching for them. However, the Bible is clear that if we bless others in need with what God has given us, then we shall be blessed! When we are blessed by God, we are favored by Him and given the kind of success that only He can give. His blessings never run out, and they are never less than sufficient. If you want your barns to be filled with plenty, then help fill someone else’s barn that is empty! If you need some cash, how about giving out of your want to someone else, then sit back and watch what God does to meet your needs. I have come to the conclusion that God will only bless us as much as we are willing to give.
In Luke 6:38, Christ says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” God will pay you back for what you give (see Proverbs 19:17)! Remember the widow lady that gave her last cake to the prophet Elijah? It was out of her need that she gave, and because she did so, from that day forward there was always enough blessings at the bottom of her barrel to sustain her and her son through the famine!
Why is giving so important? Furthermore, why does it seem we are always instructed to give when we are most in need ourselves? It is because of the faith factor! In Mark 12:43-44, Jesus was comparing the large gifts of the rich with the meager gift of the poor widow. He said, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” It’s not how much money you give, but how much heart you give! Do not talk yourself out of giving because you don’t have much to offer, because God measures the gift by your level of faith, not in dollars and cents!
What has God impressed upon your heart to give today? Go ahead and obey, and a blessing shall come your way!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill