“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”
– Proverbs 11:24
The Bible speaks a great deal about money and stuff. The message is consistent and clear: we don’t own our possessions, we manage them on behalf of God. God entrusts these material things to us to use for His purposes and glory.
Those who manage money and stuff well for God will be entrusted with greater responsibilities for Him, possibly including more money and stuff. Those whose idea of management is holding onto money, piling it up in ever larger piles will ultimately see their responsibility taken away by God.
Thus we begin to understand the seeming paradox of this proverb. Quite often, those who are most generous in deploying God’s money to care for and benefit others find themselves with greater riches, including money, blessings, and joy. By contrast, those who fail to use God’s money as He commands and for the benefit of people created in His image ultimately find themselves lacking in money, blessings, and joy.
For those afraid to be generous, particularly in the current financial climate, don’t be. Be faithful, not fearful. Be faithful to God’s leading in your life, manage God’s resources well for His kingdom rather than yours, and see what happens!