by David Brenneman
"The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him." Proverbs 11:25-27.
When we are blessed then we should look to bless someone else.
While indeed there are times when God does provide a blessing specific to our circumstances, we should still look at how we can pass a blessing along to someone else.
When we read of the rich man and Lazarus, this rich man was blessed in ways that most people dream about. He had want of nothing. His only concerns were on how to maintain what he had and had projected to be coming to him.
We can slip into this when an unexpected blessing arrives. To forget from whom it really has come and to forget to be grateful, thankful even.
A hymn sung in many churches goes like this:
"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen."
Credited to Thomas Ken 1674.
I get it that many churches are attempting to appeal to people from a more modern take, but, this simple hymn does so much to bring people to a point of gratitude.
A heart that is after God's own heart has to be practicing gratitude.
A heart that is after God's own heart has to be thankful, forgiving.
The work of the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus is to take what we were and make us into people after God's own heart. Not to leave us as He found us.
The soft temptation is to withhold what we've been given. No one will know. Nobody will miss it. Nothing is going to really change if I don't.
My Dear Reader...the Spirit within you knows. Therefore God knows.
When we are amply blessed and are more worried about being burned by people who appear to be ungrateful than we are in the truth that it's God's blessings and we are to do as He sees fit...we really have a problem.
So we are seeing things squandered by those whom we have blessed. Do you not think that God hasn't seen this? That in time He might use this to win a soul?
It's not a thought of concept but in using measuring instruments for such withholding what is supposed to flow causes resistance. Friction results in a constrained flow of water. We see it as a building up of pressure. In an electrical circuit we use things called resistors to intentionally slow voltage and current. In many cases we see or feel the result of this restraining power in heat from the device.
We too can feel the heat of withholding what God intended for us to let go of.
Think about how you really are when the still small voice in you is prompting you to give what you have been given.
We are approaching a time of year called Thanksgiving. What is it you are doing or not doing that's hampering you from being not just thankful but grateful?
I have often donated to others rather than trying to sell for money. I get it that some believe that is a better way to do with what God's given me is to sell and use that money for His good. But what about it? It all belongs to God! Whether sold or unsold its God's. If He, the owner, says to give, you give.
We are a bloated society on possessions. The storage unit business is flourishing. Sounds like a beginning of a parable of the Rich man and Lazarus.
Who could you be blessing right now and haven't been? What are you wasting money on that could have been meant to bless others in helping them?
Think about how you can be a conduit not a container for God's sake and not your own.
So what if it makes you look foolish. Read the beginning of the Church in the book of Acts. People liquidated and did whatever was necessary to bring financial freedom to thousands. Pouring out God's blessings.
What is the Spirit prompting you to do to be a blessing to others today?
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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