The Word of the Week
This is a Weekly podcast, inspired by THE WORD of GOD. This 5-minute podcast, will acquaint you with the WORD of GOD by focusing your bible study on how everyday words are used in scripture.
The personal thoughts I share are based on my spiritual journey and life lessons. Subscribe to become a member of the "Word of the Week-Newton" Group which will make you eligible to receive the Word of the Week by email each week, and give you access to our study journal and other subscriber benefits.
Please feel free to email me personally at candonewton@gmail.com
God Bless You!!
ORINE OUT!
The Word of the Week
Word of the Week - GENEROSITY - 12/11/22
Definition:“the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.”
Scripture:
Proverbs 11:24 - "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want."
Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
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A person with a generous spirit does not give to receive acknowledgement or power. They give from the abundance of what they have been given. Consider how truly blessed we are, when we can generously give from the overflow of what God has so generously given to us.
Definition:“the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.”
Scripture:
Proverbs 11:24 - "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want."
Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Thought:
The first thing that came to mind when God gave me this word was "one who gives lots of money". But the definition I found is beautiful. Generosity is the virtue or character of one who gives "good things" freely and abundantly.
What are good things? It depends on the need of the individual.
A person may have money but may be in need of love. Another may have love and money, but they may lack self-esteem or is in need of attention or encouragement, or validation. Because a person with a generous spirt has been blessed by God, they will also be endowed with discernment that will reveal the good thing that is most needed. Just pray and listen!
This week, there was a post on our neighborhood forum, from a young lady who stated that she was a teacher and a victim of domestic abuse that had had her car repossessed. She was concerned that her children would not have toys for Christmas. There were several women who stated that they were struggling as well.
When my children were little, I found myself in similar circumstances. At this point of survival, the last thing of concern for me was Christmas "toys" for a three and five-year-old. We were blessed if we had the basics; a secure place to live, reliable transportation, clothes and food to eat. A "Dollar Store" coloring book and a lovingly made special treat was gift enough for my children. Their eyes beamed, and kisses and hugs were shared because love was the motivator for the gift. Ironically, those times when I sacrificed to buy the "toy of the season", after a few days, I found it tossed aside or sadly witnessed how the box that the toy came in was more interesting to play with than the toy.
Generosity is an attribute that has been scientifically proven to be inherent in man. A child who is given love and care in the same way that God loves us, will learn to give, care and share. A child denied this basic human interaction, without God's intervention, may be lost to selfishness, greed, fear and meanness forever. Generosity is a God-given quality that the enemy works overtime to destroy.
Special holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas take full advantage of man's inherent need to give. Collaborators from large corporations to the "Will work for food" poster holders on our street corners, hire workers, to take advantage of this need and to increase their profits. And let's not forget the increase in fake "go fundme" accounts, and people who scam churches and other institutions to meet their imaginary "needs".
But these entities are not the issue here, because one who freely gives, is not concerned about the corruption of the individual to whom they give. They merely meet the perceived need, and then allow God to handle the rest. For those of us who, without remorse, give to others what we treasure most, we have given to them our heart, for, according to scripture, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." By giving freely, we have ensured that we will continue to grow richer in all ways. But because we live in a corrupt society I admonish you to pray for wisdom and discernment before you give, or before you hit the "send" button. Ask God to help you to "weed out the scammers who are willing to take without care for your life or survival".
Giving good things should begin with those closest to us. Through our acts of love, kindness, and generosity, toward our children, we teach our children the value of giving good things. As we honor our parents, we acknowledge the good things they have so generously shared and given to us. As we give good things to our friends and neighbors, we send our blessings of love and support out into the society within which we live.
A person with a generous spirit does not give to receive acknowledgement or power. They give from the abundance of what they have been given. Consider how truly blessed we are, when we can generously give from the overflow of what God has so generously given to us.God Bless You!!Orine Out!!
