Proverbs 11:25
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
I read a great book recently entitled The Go Giver. It takes the American adage “Be a Go Getter,” and turns it on its head. One of the authors is a Christian while the other is Jewish – but together they have written a parable-like book that gets today’s Proverb exactly right.
The book tells the fictional story of a young, aspiring businessman named Joe who needs to land one more big deal in order to hit his yearly goal and get the big promotion. He nervously works his contacts to see who he might be able to sell, only to find one closed door after another. An older gentleman in his office – whom Joe assumes is just a “has been” relic – notices his consternation and offers to help. His solution? He introduces him to the sage of the story – a fabulously successful man in his 60’s named Pendar who in-turn introduces him to four other people who hit it big…not by looking out for themselves, but by seeking to serve and care for others. Thus the title of the book: The Go Giver.
Time and time again the Bible points us to a life of service. Service to our King and service to our fellow man. Sadly, like the “go getter” man in the book, most of us tend to make rather self-centered decisions. And while we may not openly voice our “what’s in it for me” attitudes, we tend to make our moves based on that selfish criteria and in doing so, we miss out on God’s blessings and settle for our self-generated, cheap replacements. What a shame.
The generous will prosper and those who refresh other people will themselves be refreshed because God designed the system to work that way! Have you ever noticed or experienced the freedom and joy that comes from generosity? Have you ever noticed or experienced the peace and satisfaction that comes from seeking to refresh others? If you stay on the path of the “go getter” your efforts will only frustrate you in the end. However…if you live the life of a “go giver” you will experience the bountiful blessings that can only come from doing it God’s way and in the end and along the journey your giving will also be your getting!
