What the Spirit of Liberality Will Do, September 13
There is that scattereth, and yet in increaseth.... The liberal soul shall be
made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:24, 25
.
Many have pitied the lot of the Israel of God in being compelled to give
systematically, besides making liberal offerings yearly. An all-wise God knew
best what system of benevolence would be in accordance with His providence,
and has given His people directions in regard to it. It has ever proved that nine
tenths are worth more to them than ten tenths. Those who have thought to increase
their gains by withholding from God, or by bringing Him an inferior offering—the
lame, the blind, or the diseased—have been sure to suffer loss.
Providence, though unseen, is ever at work in the affairs of men. God’s hand
can prosper or withhold, and He frequently withholds from one while He seems
to prosper another. All this is to test and prove man to reveal the heart. He lets
misfortune overtake one brother while He prospers others to see if those whom
He favors have His fear before their eyes and will perform the duty enjoined upon
them in His Word to love their neighbor as themselves and to help their poorer
brother from a love to do good. Acts of generosity and benevolence were designed
by God to keep the hearts of the children of men tender and sympathetic and to
encourage in them an interest and affection for one another in imitation of the
Master, who for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be
made rich. The law of tithing was founded upon an enduring principle and was
designed to be a blessing to man.
The system of benevolence was arranged to prevent the great evil,
covetousness.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:546, 547
.
The small streams of beneficence must be ever kept flowing into the treasury.
God’s providence is far ahead, moving onward much faster than our liberalities.—
Welfare Ministry, 268
.
When the grace of Christ is expressed in the words and works of the believers,
light will shine forth to those who are in darkness; for while the lips are speaking
to the praise of God, the hand will be stretched out in beneficence for the help of
the perishing.
We read that on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon
the disciples, no man said that aught that he possessed was his own. All they
owned was held for the advance of the wonderful reformation. And thousands
were converted in a day. When the same spirit actuates believers today, and they
give back to God of His own with the same liberality, a wide and far-reaching
work will be accomplished.—
Welfare Ministry, 271
.
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