Day 11 – 90 Days in Proverbs - God’s Economy

Proverbs 3:9-12 [NKJV] Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

In God’s economy, giving away your goods results in prosperity. This is NOT how the economies of the businesses and governments work in the world today – whether that economy is based on capitalism, socialism, communism or any other economic “ism” man has devised.

God’s economy, where giving away results in wealth, is also true when we are giving of our spiritual wealth – spiritual gifts and talents – to the service of the church or to the world at large.

The Proverbs are not alone in advising us that the way to wealth is by giving away what we have. Ecclesiastes 11:1 tells us: Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days

Matthew 25 reminds us that when God separates the sheep from the goats it will be along the lines of what they gave away – time, attention, worldly goods. And 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that our frame of mind matters too: [So let] each one [give] as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

So, for God’s economy to work, it takes a changed heart and a God-inspired focus on what being wealthy and filled actually means. It takes valuing people and God’s marker of success, and it takes a commitment to God’s business plan – one that focuses on His blessed children freely and willingly giving what they have – both physical and spiritual goods, to the less fortunate. The purpose of the blessings He gives to each of us is specifically so that we can freely give to others from the blessings He gives to us.

If you study the economic laws God gave to Israel in the Old Testament, you will find that they were to take care of the poor directly, but also were forbidden to harvest the corners of their fields, or pick up grain that was dropped in the harvesting, or go over their grapevines a second time – all for the purpose of providing for the less fortunate to come in and share the bounty that your own hard work created.

It isn’t only goods and services we are to be giving away, but also the knowledge of God and Jesus and of God’s plan of salvation. God freely gives [Romans 8:32] and we are to freely give as well [Matthew 10:7-8; Proverbs 23:23]

Dear sisters, it is my hope that you have abundance, at least in spiritual goods. And it is my hope that from your abundance, whether it is time, health, wealth or knowledge, you will find many opportunities to freely give to others. It is the backbone of God’s economy.

Prayer — Father God, You give generously to me and I want to be like you, giving to other others from the many blessing You have provided for me. Please lead me to see and follow all the ways you would have me to give and serve. Thank You for Your many blessing to me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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