08/23/09

Giving: Proverbs 11:25

Re-Featured for April 13, 2015

The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” Proverbs 11:25

Here is a great lesson, that to get we must give from our hearts; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful bring out our abilities for usefulness. We all have unrealized  talents and inactive abilities which are brought to light through exercise of our spirit. Our strength for labor is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the LORD’s battles, or to climb the mountain of difficulty. We do not know what compassion we possess until we try to dry the widow’s tears, or soothe the orphan’s grief.

We often find that in attempting to teach others we gain instructions for ourselves. The lessons to be learned at the side of a sickbed! We go to teach the Scriptures, we come away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our conversation with those in need we are taught the way of GOD more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. Watering others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked, and how much more knowledge may reside in the poor. Our own comfort is increased through comforting others. We try to cheer them and we are cheered.

There were two men in the snow. One rubbed the other’s limbs to keep him alive, and in so doing kept his own circulation going, therefore saving his own life. The poor widow of Zeraphath gave of her scanty store to supply Elijah’s needs, and from that day forward knew poverty no more. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.

 

Charlene’s Source:  Morning Devotionals–Quick Verse–Parsons Software