Pondering Proverbs – Witness (9)

 

 

“There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet results only in want. The generous man [lit. soul of blessing] will be prosperous [lit. made fat], and he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.” Proverbs 11:24 – 26, NASB.

 

I would be remiss if I did not ask us to consider, in greater depth, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” Christ Jesus is the Generous Man above all generous men, and His prosperity is found in His Resurrection, of which He is the Firstborn from the dead (Rev. 1:5) and first fruits (1 Cor. 15:20, 23). He is the Grain of Wheat falling into the ground and dying, bringing forth much fruit (John 12:23 – 26). We are called to participate in His dying and rising and harvesting, this is the prosperity that we are called to seek.

 

Therefore, we ought not to be so utterly foolish as to be impressed with people or institutions who seek temporal wealth or power, accumulating for themselves that which is corruptible with contemptable teaching and practice – whether or not these are individuals or institutions, whether they are ostentatious or subtle – these practices and teachings do not come from the Christ of the Cross and the Cross of Christ.

 

There must be a reason(s) that some very well – known and popular ministries do not readily disclose their large cash reserves and investment accounts – while they continue to solicit donations. And then there are those - whether institutions or individuals  -  who flaunt their wealth and manipulate ever more from their followers, dear friends, this is not the Way of Jesus Christ and His Cross.

 

True prosperity is to be found in the heavens; “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19 – 21; see also Colossians 3:1 – 4).

 

Then we have, “…he who waters will himself be watered.”

 

The Way of the Cross is not a popular way, nor is it crowded with pilgrims. Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 6:13 – 14).

 

Consider Paul’s statement to Timothy, “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me…” (2 Tim. 1:15a). There are times on our pilgrimage when we may have much company, and then there are times when we may be lonely. Yet, we have God’s promise that “he who waters will himself be watered.”

 

This watering has many forms; the koinonia of the Trinity, koinonia with brothers and sisters both near and far away, encouragement from the lives and writings of brothers and sisters who lived before us, encouragement from the world – for the people of the world can indeed encourage us - and encouragement from God through His creation.

 

God’s watering of our lives is not always what we expect or desire, that is, its form and frequency is often difficult for us. In 1 Kings 19:1 – 8 Elijah ate a meal that God provided and then he “went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights.” I imagine that most of us would prefer regular and predictable meals, but this may not be what we find in Christ. Yes, He is our Daily Bread on one level, but on another level we may find ourselves on journeys in which we cry out to be watered, we cry out for a depth of fellowship to sustain and encourage us…such is the Way of the Cross, and yet, Jesus is always and ever with us.

 

Now why I am writing this? I am doing so because our American Christianity is not the Way of the Cross but the way of the dollar, the way of success, the way of political power, the way of entertainment, the way of “our best life now.” I am writing this because we must not take the promises of Proverbs 11:24 – 26 and merchandise them, we must not use them as a form of positive thinking, we must not think that we have stumbled upon a new way to manipulate God and others, to pull spiritual and emotional strings.

 

Let’s be clear, following Jesus Christ will cost us our lives on a daily basis (Mark 8:34ff; Luke 9:23). Sharing Jesus Christ with others will cost us our lives as our Way of Life. The narrow Way is not the broad way.

 

The glorious koinonia of the Trinity will overshadow and subsume all of the distress and suffering and difficulties of this life (Romans 8:12 – 25) – and we can be sure that our Father and Lord Jesus will be with us always, forever and always.

 

Who will follow Jesus that others may live in Him?