Proverbs 11:24

"There is one who scatters, yet
increases more;
And there is one who witholds
more than is right,
But it leads to poverty." (Proverbs 11:24 NKJV)

It doesn't seem to make sense. Are we to believe that the person who gives will yield increase whilst the one who hoards will actually lose, eventually coming to poverty? In short, yes. This sort of wisdom seems foolish according to the world's economic standards, but we're talking God's economy here. And scripture is hardly silent on this topic. There are many references such as Malachi 3:10 and 2 Corinthians 9:6 which seem to reinforce the same point made in the above verse from Proverbs.

I must say, in giving unto the Lord, whether to the local church, an individual or organization in His name and for His purposes to be fulfilled, I have never regretted it. Yes, I've had instances where I was decieved by people whom I thought I was helping, yet had bad intentions. But even in those cases, the Lord always provided for me. And the provision wasn't just in the physical sense, but in lessons learned in being more discrete.

When I look at Proverbs 11:24 some lyrics from an old song come to mind:

Live for yourself and you will live in vain,
Live for others and you will live again

("Pass It On", Bob Marley and The Wailers)

Regardless of what Bob Marley and the crew may have believed at that particular point in time, these words seem to hold some truth. I don't know whether they were suggesting living for and therefore giving to others will earn you eternal life. Obviously, I don't believe that. But I do believe living for Lord and esteeming others higher than ourselves are essentials in this journey if we are to live His way. When we live and give to and for Him, we are promised great reward, particularly on the other side of eternity. When we live selfishly and are determined to keep what we feel is rightfully ours (even though it really isn't), we will end up losing everything, including our very souls. This is the most desperate poverty there is.

I also believe this scripture can and does apply in the earthly sense too. When we are good caretakers of what God provides, then He can entrust us with being responsible for more. When we are involved in planting and sowing into the lives of others on His behalf, I believe it is something dear to His heart. By His nature, God is a giver and it so happens He has chosen to entrust us with being agents of giving and scattering. In His economy, the more we give the more we get.