Proverbs 11:25
“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
If only we are careful to divest our statements of everything which carries with it the idea of merit, it is scarcely possible to speak too strongly in praise of generosity, as lovely in itself, and as acceptable to God. To speak of generosity as contributing in any degree to justify the soul before God, would surely be a fatal error! But as rewardable, and certain to be rewarded both in this life and the life to come, we ought to speak of generosity; and the squeamish jealousy which is entertained on this head, and which fears to declare all that God’s blessed Word contains upon the subject, is, in my apprehension, extremely erroneous and unfitting.
The words which I have just read will lead me to show you:
I. The spirit we should possess.
In my text we see a spirit of generosity, and a spirit of benevolence; the one constituting an internal principle in the soul, the other displaying itself in active exertions towards all within our sphere. Let me call your attention, then, to,
1. A spirit of generosity.
The generous hand is good; but the generous soul is far better; and this it is which every Christian should possess. We should consider all that we have as so many talents committed to us by our heavenly Master, to be improved for him. Our time, our property, our influence, should all be considered God’s; and nothing as really ours, but the honor and happiness of employing all for God.
We can easily conceive what the feelings of an angel would be, if he were sent from Heaven to dispense blessings of any kind; there would be no grudging of his time and labor, nor would there be any pride and self-delight in his mind on account of his fidelity in the execution of his office. He would consider himself simply as God’s servant; and find all his delight in doing the will of Him who sent him, and in being instrumental to the welfare of mankind.
If this appears to be too strong of an illustration, I must say, Instead of being too strong, it falls far short of the example which our blessed Lord has set before us, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich—yet for your sakes became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich! 2 Corinthians 8:9.” This is the true standard at which we should aim; even such a delight in advancing the welfare of others, as disposes us to encounter whatever self-denial may be requisite for the attainment of our end. This may properly be called “a generous soul.”
2. A spirit of benevolence.
Godly principles in the heart always manifest themselves by actions in the life. To “refresh others” should be the employment of us all. In one sense, the whole world is the garden of the Lord. All of us are his plants; and all of us his gardeners, who should be occupied in watering the plants around us. Whether our capacity for exertion is greater or less, we should endeavor to improve it for God and man. If we have but one talent, we should not hide it in a napkin, but employ it for the Lord. We should consider what it is that every plant around us needs, in order that we may minister, as far as we are able, to its necessities. Does any need instruction, or comfort, or temporal relief? We should adapt our labors to his necessities, and look to God for his blessing on our endeavors. Day by day the earthly gardener is so occupied; and it is an employment in which we should daily engage, and of which we never should be weary. At the close of every day we should have the same testimony from conscience as holy Job enjoyed, “Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger, Job 29:11-16.”
Such being the proper spirit of a Christian, let us consider,
II. The benefits that will accrue to the possessor of it.
However great may be the good which a person of this spirit may do, I hesitate not to say, that he will receive far greater benefits than he imparts! He will receive them,
1. From the very exercise of the principle itself.
The high-priest within the veil, while offering incense before his God, was regaled with the fragrances of his own offering; a privilege which no other individual was permitted to enjoy. In the same way, the person who exercises love will derive from that very employment a blessedness of which no one else can form any just conception. Well is it said, in a foregoing verse of this chapter, “A merciful man does good to his own soul! verse 17.” The exercise of liberality and benevolence tends exceedingly to the suppression of evil in the soul, and to the cultivation and establishment of every holy disposition. Mark the contrast which it drawn in 1 Timothy 6:10-11. And is it not a sweet evidence to the soul, that God has wrought a good work within it? No doubt it is; for if we “love not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth,” then we may, from that very circumstance, “know that we are of the truth, and may assure our hearts before God, 1 John 3:18-19.”
Indeed this is no small part of the recompense which God will bestow on those who serve him with fidelity; he would even consider himself as unrighteous and unjust if he did not thus remember our work and labor of love, which we have showed toward his name in ministering to his saints!” On this very ground the Apostle says, “We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end, Hebrews 6:10-11.”
2. From the immediate agency of Almighty God.
God has said, that “what we give to the poor, we lend unto God, and he will repay it again, Proverbs 19:17.” And this he will do both in this life and in the life to come. Very remarkable is his promise in relation to the present life, “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 to you! Luke 6:38.”
In a spiritual view, more especially, will God recompense his faithful people. Hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah, which remarkably accord with the expressions of our text, “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail! Isaiah 58:10-11.”
Nor shall our labors of love be forgotten by Him in the eternal world. He holds forth this as an encouragement to us to exert ourselves in all the offices of love, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life! 1 Timothy 6:17-19.”
And that no doubt may remain on this head, he tells us expressly, that such people shall “be recompensed at the resurrection of the just;” and that to those who have administered to the relief of the poor and the distressed, he will say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!” Thus freely and thus richly shall “he who waters be watered also himself;” yes, as the prophet says, “with showers of blessings, shall he be blessed! Ezekiel 34:26.
We may clearly see from hence,
1. From whence proceeds that leanness, of which so many complain.
Many complain, that, notwithstanding the Gospel is so rich in its blessings, they are not happy. But I believe it will be generally found, that those who complain thus, live only for themselves. I think it almost impossible that they who live for God and for their fellow-creatures, should not be happy. Such circumstances as Job’s may exist, but they are rare; and even he himself endured them but for a time. Examine, then, your state as before God, and see whether you possess the dispositions of which my text speaks; for, if you do not, how is it possible that you should have any blessing from the Lord? Hear what Job would have thought of such a state as yours, “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless– but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow–if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint! Job 31:16-22.” What you sow, you must expect to reap; and if you “sow but sparingly,” in the way of love and mercy, “you shall reap but sparingly” of those blessings which the God of love and mercy will bestow!
2. What encouragement we have to proceed in the work before us.
The charity which I would propose to your support is worthy of all the aid which you can afford to give it. And for your encouragement, I will appeal to all: Who among you ever abounded in liberality, without finding it a source of joy? Or who ever watered others, without being himself watered by the Lord? I urge all of the above, because “I desire fruit that may abound to your account! Philippians 4:17.”
Charles Simeon