He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9).
Simply put, our verse says the generous man shall be blessed because of his willingness to share his bounty with the poor. As I was reading through some commentaries, I couldn’t help but see this person himself as a recipient of God’s provision. That will always be the case when people use opportunities to share with others. Sadly, a familiar quote states, “When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing.” The world has become so calloused to the needs of others. Even we, as Christians, are joining the world by being judgmental and non-trusting of others. We can’t muster enough compassion to help people in their time of great need. We feel if we drop some coins in a red kettle during the holidays that’s sufficient.
Have we forgotten when God provided abundantly for us in times of need? At an early age I learned what the phrase “Jehovah-Jireh” meant. Modern translations define this as “The Lord will provide.” In spite of being bullied or ridiculed for being poor, my humble upbringing made me appreciate God’s provision.
Through the years I have claimed Psalm 37:25, “I was young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.” Today’s verse is special to me because there are people in our world who give of their abundance to help those in need. If God has blessed you by providing for your needs, remember our verse Ecclesiastes 11:1 states “Cast your bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” The Living Bible states this about this verse: Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.” Moms often quoted it this way: “Bread cast upon the water will not return void. However you interpret the verses used in today’s devotional, humbly remember ways God provides for whatever needs we may have. This enables us to share when we can.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Examine your own attitude toward God’s provisions. Pray God would supply the needs of home missionaries, giving them opportunities to share.
