Proverbs – Day 11
Scripture: Proverbs 11
The Lord detests dishonest scales,
but accurate weights find favor with him.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of their power comes to nothing.
The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.
When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
A kindhearted woman gains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Truly the righteous attain life,
but whoever pursues evil finds death.
The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.
Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.
If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Devotional:
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill
“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” ~ Albert Einstein
Yesterday, we learned that we need to be cautious with our words. Just the opposite applies to being generous. Solomon states that “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (v 24-25). Your generosity, while blessing others, will even reward you. Others are more likely to support you when you are in need if you’ve supported them in the past.
Don’t assume that your generosity will automatically rise with your income, either. Studies have shown quite the opposite. Charitable giving in the U.S. looks like a “U”; that is, low-income and the very wealthy tend to give a far higher percentage of their income than the upper middle class. One study found that if these individuals donated as high a percentage as those in the lower wealth groups, total charitable contributions would have risen 23%, equaling over $41 billion (yes, with a “b”). These trends are also reflected in the amount of time individuals give to charity.
What causes this discrepancy? It’s likely due to both selfish thinking and fear. Being generous means putting aside your own wants. We can learn from the early church when “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:44-45). Imagine – an environment of complete generosity! Generosity also requires a trust that God will provide for your needs. Relying on our own strength (and wealth) is a slippery slope. Solomon cautions that “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf” (v 28).
Giving cheerfully is just as important as the act of giving itself. Later in Proverbs Solomon warns, “Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies; for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments” (Prov 23:6-8). Avoid being the kind of person who complains about giving or who makes others feel guilty or beholden to you. Doing so will tarnish your generosity and make others avoid wanting to be around you.
Key Verses:
“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” ~ Proverbs 11:25, 28
Questions:
- If you’re not a “cheerful giver,” why not?
- How can you start to think differently about giving?
