The Generous Soul
“The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (Prov. 11:25).
There are plenty of times when life is confusing, but God has created order in the world so that many things are amazingly predictable. These “laws of nature” can include cycles of weather and rhythms of planting and harvest. In human relationships, we also find identifiable principles at work.
One of these principles is the law of reciprocity. That is, people receive what they give.
The book of Proverbs contains a number of examples. Anger that is expressed, results in angry replies, and kindness that is offered, is rewarded with kindness. Also, the way we handle our resources produces reciprocal responses. This Proverb addresses the remarkable principle that generosity will be rewarded. Solomon is saying the same thing two different ways.
To guard against a selfish, mechanistic approach, Solomon includes the small but crucial elements: “the generous soul will be made rich.” God wants His people to be generous at the deepest level of their hearts -- caring for people and His kingdom instead of looking for a great return on an investment. A great return is promised, but only for those who give with a willing, gracious, and full heart of thankfulness. Those who give generously and gladly don’t care as much about the promise of return. They are far more interested in using their resources to make a difference. If the return takes a while, they’re not flustered. And if God takes them through a difficult time, they accept both blessing and adversity, just like Job.
The law of reciprocity is a principle God instituted to bless us, but He is more interested in the attitude of our hearts than the numbers on a check.
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