I thought this morning the idea what’s good might come from generosity can be explained in these 2 examples:
- From the example of Nehemiah
- From the exhortation of Paul and eastnest desire of Titus
1. Example of Nehemiah
Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver. And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.
Nehemiah 7:70-72 (ESV)
He is being modest by not mentioning his own name. But we know from the context, that he was the governor at that time. And prior to this, he described how he lived differently from the previous governors (Neh 5:14-19).
What’s the point for me to mention this?
Because what comes after this part was a great conclusion, connected with the beginning of a collosal event.
So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.
And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.
Nehemiah’s generosity led to economical stability. The rebuilding of the wall contributed for safety and stability. But the peace / shalom came after his census and generosity. And we know from earlier part of chapter 7, that all were according to God’s perfect timing and planning. There’s great significant of the 7th month in the divine’s calendar and Israel’s life.
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.
It ushered in the spiritual rebirth among the people. Something that could only take place after they all settled down. The Spirit of God caused the thirst among the people for God’s Law and His Word to be made known. And generosity unlocked that great event in the history of God’s people and God’s salvation history.
2. Exhortation of Paul
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[e] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
What was Paul encouraging the church of Corinth?
He was quoting from Psalm 112, which speaks of God’s blessing for the righteous person. And one description of the righteous person is that he’s generous; he gives freely, and blesses the poor (Ps 112: 9).
Therefore, Paul is confident that God will make His grace abound to the believers to be generous. And giving to the poor is considered as good work. More specifically, it’s good because the poor were their own family members in Christ.
And he added the second encouragement pulling from God’s nature of providing food for all mankind. How much more he will provide grace so that His children could be generous to their credit. What a God!!
He is like a parent who gives to his children, so that his children could give to others. The wealth belongs to the parents. But he/she gives freely to the child, that this child may know the blessing of giving to others in need. One aspect of God’s own heart.
After all, there are still so many things we can learn and marvel at God’s design and the goodness that comes from generosity.
May this sharing encourage you to be generous and see how God multiplies and increases His righteousness and Kingdom.