What are the bible proverbs about generosity? Find out in this article with commentary on each verse.
Introduction
The idea that the more one gives, the more he gains defies all logic. When you give, you are subtracting from your wealth. How can subtracting bring you more? Logically giving does not bring profit. Sharing seems to be a supernatural Godly concept. The more you give, the more you receive. Giving is at God’s heart for He gave life to humanity.Â
6 Bible proverbs about generosity
Proverbs 11:24-25
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
The person who gives without complaints gains more. This does not make sense economically. But with God, giving is the way to prosperity and withholding leads to poverty. This is a proverb of comparison. The two men in the proverb are compared. The one who gives increases his financial prosperity and the one who is stingy gets poorer.
Proverbs 14:21
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
It is common for proverbs to contrast opposite behaviours, one with a positive outcome and another with a negative outcome. The proverb focuses on an evil man who has hatred toward his neighbour, meaning he will never help the neighbour he hates. The other spotlight goes to the kind man who helps the needy. The kind man is rewarded for his kindness, God blesses him.
Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
When the Bible speaks of the poor, it is referring to those who are weak, inferior and needy. Whoever has pity on them and deals with them fairly is rewarded by God. This proverb talks of more than a reward. He who gives to the poor is serving the Lord. When you lend to someone, it is for temporary use on the condition that the thing will be returned. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the creator of the world, how much will be the reward of those who lend to the poor? God’s reward surpasses all rewards.
Proverbs 21:13
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
This is a cause-and-effect proverb. You reap what you sow proverb type. Everything that you do has a result. Choosing to ignore the plight of the poor will result in God not answering you when you desperately need His help. God answers and rewards those who are generous. God is merciful, therefore He blesses those who are like Him, the merciful. He shows mercy to those who show mercy to others.
Proverbs 22:9
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Summed up, this proverb is about the poor, the generous and the blessing. In the Hebrew culture, having a good eye means being kind and generous. The kind man who shares his food with the poor is blessed by God. Bread is a metaphor for sustenance. The bread can represent any type of food. God works through people. Those who do good to the poor are working for God, and in turn, God blesses them. It is our duty as Christians to help those in need, in doing so we will be serving God.
Proverbs 28:27
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
God gives more to those who give to the poor so that they will continue providing for the poor. The more they give, the more they get. It is as though God turns them into wells that do not run dry so that all who are thirsty can drink. God’s economics does not make sense to the world. Instead of saving what you have, God says give and you shall receive. As Christians, it is in our best interest to practice God’s economics.
If we choose to hide our eyes from the poor, that is, to deliberately avoid the poor even though we see them, the result is multiple curses from God.
Conclusion
As Christians, God encourages us to live a life of generosity. Generosity is a path to blessings from God. There are promises that are exclusive to those who are generous. The first promise is sustenance. Those who give will always receive more. The more they give, the more God increases their wealth. The second promise is blessings. Though unspecified, the book of proverbs guarantees a life of blessings from God to those who give generously to the poor. The only time a man can lend to God is when he gives generously to the poor. That is how powerful generosity is. Even God will be indebted to you.
