Proverbs 11:24 ESV – One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

Y’all know I’m an engineer by trade and that I deal with “mathy” things all the time. 2+2=4 type of stuff.

So when my eyes crawl over this verse, the little red lights start to go off in my head.

It just didn’t make sense for me, and, as a paradox is wont to do, it took me outside of my usual way of thinking.

As mentioned in an earlier post on Paradoxical Passages (Paradoxical Passages – 2 Corinthians 8:9) this verse is an example of mixing two topics in the same thought.

My initial problem was that I was equating the giving and the wealth (or the hoarding and the poverty) with the same medium. How could I not gain riches by hoarding cash or securities or real estate or things things things!

You see, that is the problem. Solomon, as Paul describes centuries later, speaks of giving away that which is merely physical to gain that with is non physical.

A good real life example is that of a friend of mine when I first stated going to church. His name was Tommy Devine, a small elderly man with one old suit to wear to church, who lived in a tiny apartment on a tiny government allowance. He constantly shared what little he had with others, usually with teenagers that made fun of him. He loved sharing the love of Christ with those in his neighborhood and looked for opportunities to help anyone he could.

I do not recall one time when he wasn’t the happiest man I had ever come across. When I would sit with him, and ask him how he was, he would always respond – “Fine as frogs hair!”

He was a wealthy man in my eyes, with nary a care and always expressing a thankful heart.

He gave freely, yet grew all the richer. He truly is a great example to look back on. He loved the Lord and reflected the grace of his Savior.

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