Things are going really well for me. This afternoon, I will have a book signing at the Corry Public Library in Corry Pennsylvania from 3-6pm. If you are in the area, I would love to see you there.
The other day I was at a Bible study and we read this verse. In the King James Bible, Proverbs 22:9 says He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed for he giveth bread to the poor.
We also looked at a couple other versions for instance, the New International Version says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) says, “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.”
I like the King James Version here because of the use of the term “bountiful eye”. It relates to the way that the person relates to the world around him. The generous person sees God’s bountiful supply so he gives generously. In contrast, a person who sees lack in the world is going to see everything with an eye for lack rather than bounty this type of person will give willingly to the poor because he fears that he will not have enough.
A person with a bountiful eye has an eye toward the future. He sees hope in future events. He takes this verse in Luke 6:38 (KJV)to heart, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” Hebrews 11:6.
This bountiful eye is the eye of faith that God is and that he rewards those who seek him. The word seek here means to investigate, crave search out, to discover his essence.
Be Generous for Jesus Sake
Galatians 6:7 and 8 says, 7)“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. 8) For he that sow to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
I would be extremely negligent if I didn’t bring up the fact that this bountiful eye should not be limited to our present life. This bountiful eye must focus on our eternal spiritual life. However, this is not to say that God will not allow us to have bounty here in lifetime. He did not call probably has not called us a vow of poverty. What he does want us to realize however, is that our life in this world is only temporary and will one day pass away. Our focus should be on sowing for our future in eternity..
We need to remember that we give generously, not because we are going to get something for our generosity, but in recognizing the gift that Jesus Christ gave us. He gave us his life.
Donna Brown is pastor at Faith in God Church 1 1/2 miles south of Brandsville, Missouri on Hwy 63. Sunday services are at 10 am and Wednesday night Bible Study at 6:30 pm. As Author Cygnet Brown, she has published a nonfiction book: Simply Vegetable Gardening: Simple Organic Gardening Tips for the Beginning Gardener
She is also the author of historical fiction series The Locket Saga. which includes When God Turned His Head and Soldiers Don’t Cry, the Locket Saga Continues, and, A Coward’s Solace, Book III of the Locket Saga. The next book Book IV of the Locket Saga: Sailing Under the Black Flag will be out in the near future.
.For more information about Cygnet Brown and her books, check out her website at http://www.cygnetbrow.com .