In the world’s assessment of things, to give and have then actually have more at the same time is a paradox. It seems to be a contradictory statement. Logic would say that if you gave what you had away you would have less. Yet, the Bible teaches us the opposite.
Man by his fallen nature tends to grab and grasp, have and hold. When it comes to money, we want to get all we can. Now, when it comes to how much we have, most of us are like the prospective son-in-law. The prospective father-in-law asked, “How much money do you have in the bank?” The prospective son-in-law replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t shaken it lately.”
You may be like the fellow who ask his boss for a raise telling him that several companies were after him. His boss asked which companies were after him and he said, “The electric company, the phone company, and the gas company.”
Most of us don’t have much, but that is not say that we don’t want more. We are familiar with 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” The words “love of money” is the Greek word philargyros which speaks of avarice or greed. The love of money is simply a strong desire to have money.
People will do just about anything to get money. I read about a Chicago radio station that posed the question to its listeners, “What’s the most outrageous thing you would do for $10,000?” They got responses from more than 6,000 people. The eventual winner was Jay Gwaltney, a sophomore at Indiana State University. He ate an 11-foot birch tree; roots, bark, and all. For the event, he wore a tux and dined at a elegantly set table with china, sterling, candles and a rose vase. Armed with a pair of pruning shears, he began chomping from the top of the tree and worked his way, branch by branch, to the roots. His only condiment was French dressing for the leaves. It took him 18 hours over a period of three days. He later complained of an upset stomach. I should say so. It would appear the bark was worse than his bite.
It is part of our human nature to want money. And, it seems that we never have enough but only want more. The more we have the more we want. No amount is ever enough.
Notice the words of Solomon. He speaks in Proverbs 11:24 of one “that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”
Now, if you notice carefully Solomon acknowledges that there is withheld that which is “meet.” The word speaks of that which is “right.” This would be what is kept for the purpose of providing for the needs of one’s life. This would involve food, housing, retirement, and all the things that we must care for in life. It is right that a person take the money they have and meet such needs in their life.
But as you look closer you see that Solomon is talking about withholding“more than is meet.” The word “withholdeth” means to “restrain” or “refuse.” He is talking about getting and grabbing, having and holding. There is no giving or sharing in this case. What is the result? He says “it tendeth to poverty.” The word “poverty” speaks of a deficiency, impoverishment and that which causes want. He is describing a loss of wealth.
The world says get all you can and can all you get. However, God says if you hold on to it, never give or share, it results in loss. Now, it may not necessarily end of a loss of one’s money.
How does holding on to money result in poverty? There is a personalpoverty. Some of the unhappiest people in the world are those who are wealthy. Someone has said that money will buy:
Medicine but not health
Luxuries but not culture
Amusements but not happiness
Religion but not salvation.
Secondly, there is an eternal poverty. Have you ever noticed that you never see a U-Haul following a hearse? What we forget, or don’t understand, is that this life is for the purpose of preparing for the next. When Alexander the Great died, his hands were left outside the coffin. He had conquered the world but could carry nothing with him into eternity.
These words were found on an old gravestone:
What I spent, I had;
What I saved, I lost;
What I gave, I have.
Solomon tells us that, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth,” and,“The liberal soul shall be made fat” (Prov 11:24-25).
In Solomon’s words we find two great principles. First, there is:
A) The Principle of Sowing
In verse 24 Solomon talks about the one who scatters and reaps an increase. The picture that comes to mind is of a farmer sowing seed in a field. He will sow a sack of seed but reap a barn full. The same principle applies to our money. As bountiful sowing in the field means bountiful reaping of crops, so generous giving here yields bountiful dividends hereafter.
Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-20, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”
B) The Principle of Sharing
In verse 25 Solomon says, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”
He says the liberal soul shall me made fat. Now, I know most of you are not interested in being fat. If anything, we are a people consumed with losing weight. One woman said, "Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies."
Solomon was not talking about gaining extra pounds. He was talking becoming fat spiritually. He is talking about a fatness that is related to one’s sharing of their money with others. The word was used to speak of that which is prosperous and abundant. The land of Canaan was called a fat land. It was a prosperous land. The word “liberal” is only translated thus on this one occasion. Most of the time it is translated “blessing.”
Solomon is talking about using our money to be a blessing to others. When we give our money to build churches, support ministries, send missionaries, we are using our money to be a blessing to others. Those that are generous in their giving will be spiritually fat.
Let me show you a great verse in the Bible. Of course they are all great, but I particularly love Luke 6:38: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
Have you filled something up and it seemed full, but then you pressed it down and were able to put more into it. That is what Jesus was describing. The more we give the more He blesses us in return. With the same measure in which we give, the same measure He will bless us.
Keeping is losing and giving is keeping!
