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“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

—Proverbs 11:25

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Have you ever noticed that the moments you feel most alive come when you’re giving something away—your time, your attention, your encouragement? That’s the heart of biblical generosity.

 

Why Generosity Leads to Renewal

Proverbs 11 paints a picture of God’s design for relationships, the kind of living that allows people and communities to flourish together. We were made in God’s image, which means we are relational by nature, our lives rising and falling at the intersection of relationship.

But real relationships are hard.

I think that’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father . . . our daily bread . . . forgive us our trespasses . . .” It’s a communal prayer. We tend to get a bit individualistic, but our spirituality was never meant to be a solo journey. God designed us to thrive together, and part of that thriving comes when we give ourselves away.

It’s easy to get caught up in our own lack—our insecurities, our weaknesses, our needs. But this proverb flips that thinking—as we refresh others, we ourselves are refreshed. (If you’ve ever wondered about the Proverbs 11:25 meaning, it’s this truth: refresh others, be refreshed.) As we pour out, God pours in. His strength shows up in our weakness. His abundance flows when we live generously.

Living Open-Handed: God’s Design for Flourishing

Think of Jesus with the loaves and fish. He blessed, broke, and gave what He had. And as it left His hands, it multiplied. That’s what generosity does. When we live freely, live open, and give from what we have—our time, our words, our resources—God expands it. And in the process, our world gets larger and larger. This is how generosity brings renewal.

 

Respond

This week, look for ways to refresh someone—a text of encouragement, an act of service, a listening ear. Reject the smallness of self-consciousness for the spaciousness of God-consciousness. Watch how your generosity not only lifts them but lifts you. Because this is God’s way: the generous will prosper, and those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

 

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for designing life to flourish in relationships.
Help me to live open-handed,
to refresh others with what You’ve given me,
and to trust that as I pour out, You will pour in.
Show me where I can be generous today,
and enlarge my heart with Your love. Amen.

Praying with you,

Addison

 

 

 

P.S. I mention this each time because we always have new people—hello, if that’s you!— but if you don’t have the Words with God book yet, be sure to grab it from Amazon or the Messenger Store.