Proverbs 11:24-25 “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
A mature Christian exhibits wholehearted generosity. This is how God treats us. He lavishes life and sunlight and food and ingenuity on human beings, even to those who reject him. Best of all, he poured out himself for our benefit by dying on the cross. God wants his children to reflect his nature by giving freely and refreshing others. He blesses those who are generous. How counterintuitive that the one who habitually gives away wealth is the one who gains more, yet the one who hoards and piles up wealth experiences poverty – if not financially (though that is not an uncommon result), then certainly poverty of soul, isolation, and lack of joy.
Father, thank you for your unending generosity towards me and my family. Thank you for teaching us to be generous and to refresh others – and for the refreshment you continually pour back into us.