Proverbs 22:9

Generosity guarantees blessings. Here is priceless wisdom. Do you look for opportunities to give? Do you give liberally? Do you get excited about giving? God loves generous givers. If you give to the poor, you lend to Almighty God, and He repays well (Pr 19:17)!

This financial secret is unknown to the world. No business school anywhere teaches it. You will get ahead farther and faster by giving money away to God-approved needs than saving and investing. Guaranteed! King Solomon confirmed it (Pr 11:24-26; 28:8,27).

God will bless the man who gives eagerly and generously to the poor. God looks out for the poor, because He withheld from them abilities and opportunities He gave others. It is not enough to think kindly about them; you must actually give (II Cor 8:11; Jas 2:16). He is pleased to see a successful man giving cheerfully and liberally to help those in trouble.

God will bless the man who gives liberally, which is giving freely, generously, beyond basics, beyond expectations, creatively, and spontaneously. If a man suing for your coat should also get your cloak, what of a man needing the coat (Matt 5:40)? When taking the poor to dinner, as commanded by Jesus, take them to a nice place (Luke 14:12-14). It is scattering that pleases God, and withholding liberality offends Him (Pr 11:24). He has never been stingy with you, so why would the thought enter your mind for others?

Who could you give to today? Who has a legitimate need due to an act of God in his or her life that you could help? Get excited about the opportunity to make a poor person happy, make God happy, and give a boost to your assets and income. Such giving is win-win-win. When you do things God’s way, there are more winners than even those listed.

Solomon also wrote about caring for the poor elsewhere (Pr 14:21,31; 19:17; 21:13; 28:8,27). Charitable thinking and giving is part of godly wisdom that makes a few people more noble and virtuous than the rest. Compassion and love are traits of Christianity, so the true children of God and followers of Jesus Christ give mercifully and bountifully.

Solomon also wrote about financial returns to generous men, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (Pr 11:25). Contrary to math and man’s thinking, giving money away is a simple way to get ahead. Give, and it shall be given back to you in equal or greater degree, so give generously (Luke 6:38).

The LORD Jehovah 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 precious rewards on a man, his family, 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 easily repay beyond a man’s liberality (II Cor 9:6-11; Mal 3:10).

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

Mathematics and finance are only true to a point. If you withhold money that you could give to someone in need, you are heading to poverty. If you scatter your money to godly charitable causes, you are heading toward increase (Pr 11:24; II Cor 9:6). 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). If your parents are in need, have a bountiful eye to them.

God loves liberal thinking – and not in politics! Listen to the prophet Isaiah, “But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand” (Is 32:8). God loves creative thoughts of generous things to do for those in need. Liberal giving is giving extra, beyond basics, above what is expected, enough to be a surprise, etc. Generous persons think and give this way, and God commits to bless them in this life and the next.

Such giving 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).

God’s rules for giving start with your family (Pr 13:22; I Tim 5:8), then the poor in your church and your faithful pastor, if you have one (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37; Gal 6:6), then the poor in other true churches (Rom 15:26), and then the poor God puts in your ordinary course of life (Luke 10:25-37). You need not look for poor outside these places, and giving to the money-begging televangelists is cursed (Pr 22:16; Luke 14:12-14).

Who can you generously help? Think hard. It ought to be a priority of your life to help those in need. 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 at all (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).