When small businesses in Tennessee were abruptly shuttered in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, shop owners worried about how to care for their employees, how to pay their rent, and how to simply survive the crisis. In response to their concerns, the pastor of a church near Nashville started an initiative to supply cash to struggling business owners.
“We don’t feel like we can sit on a rainy-day fund when somebody else is going through a rainy day,” the pastor explained, as he encouraged other churches in the area to join the effort.
A rainy-day fund is money that’s put aside in case normal income is decreased for a time while regular operations need to continue. While it’s natural for us to look out for ourselves first, Scripture encourages us to always look beyond our own needs, to find ways to serve others, and to practice generosity. Proverbs 11 reminds us, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more,” “a generous person will prosper,” and “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (vv. 24–25).
Is the sun shining extra bright in your life today? Look around to see if there’s torrential rain in someone else’s world. The blessings God has graciously given you are multiplied when you freely share them with others. Being generous and open-handed is a wonderful way to give hope to others and to remind hurting people that God loves them.
By Cindy Hess Kasper
REFLECT & PRAY
When has someone been open-handed with their time or resources with you? How could you do the same for someone in need today?
Gracious God, help me to be tenderhearted toward the needs of others and show me how I can share Your love and generosity with them.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Proverbs 11:25 declares that “a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” The apostle Paul echoes this thought to the believers in Jesus in Corinth. He writes to encourage them to fulfill their promise to provide a generous gift for the needy church in Jerusalem: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). He goes on to say, “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (vv. 10–11). Our generosity points back to God, who provides all good things (James 1:17).
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