Godly wisdom says,

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.” (Proverbs 11:24-26)

A few things have I noticed about this advice from him who gave his very best:

1. Stingy people live a tight-fisted, claustrophobic life. Even the very, very wealthy ones. A wealthy person is not necessarily an “enriched” person. Many wealthy people are not lovely people.

2. Of the few godly and wealthy people that I have known, they are great givers. They love to water the lives of others. They do not hold back their resources to enrich the lives of others. Consequently, they are both lovely people to be around and there seems to be a blessing upon their lives. They could live a more opulent life, as the world defines high-class living, but they do not. Yet, their lives speak about and point the way to something that seems to be more pleasurable to them than what this world has to offer.

3. People who make giving to God through the local church a priority, often have less or no debt at all (other than the house, or a modest car), no matter their level of income. The reason is not so much that God has made them wealthy for giving, but because their main affection for God causes the affections for material stuff to shrivel. Things of this earth do not have the same satisfying appeal that they once did and so they do not keep swiping the charge card for things they don’t need. (this has been documented in a variety of polls and surveys)

4. The Mathematics of Heaven cannot be altered here on earth. Giving freely does cause one to become all the richer for it, and it all started in heaven when God the Father sent his Son. As a result, Our Father in heaven is all the richer for it because the Son will purchase a bride, and the Father will dance and rejoice over the joy of his Son’s marriage to his lovely wife. If here on earth we think that we can break away from the Equation of Heaven, it is foolish! If you want a great harvest of corn come mid-August, then early June, put a couple handfuls of corn seed into the ground. You see . . . you are all the richer for giving away what was in your hand. (10 – 10 = 100)!!!!!!!!!

5. Observe some of the happiest people around you. They may not have much yet they are content. Why is that? Or if they do have much of this worlds goods, why are they lovely people? Odds are, they do not trust in their wealth for their value or their happiness. They are other-centered, seeking to enrich the lives of others. Take note and make a change for yourself.

Finally, if these things seem to be a consistent pattern of life here on earth, generally speaking, then you should consider that the reason it is so, is because there really is a Father in heaven who freely gave everything that he had so that his own joy would be fulfilled in what he gave away:

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all [that is, all who have been predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, vs. 29], how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)