The Mines of King Solomon (part 18)

"The only thing I wanted to do was sin. I thought bad words and I wanted to say them ... "Bill Hybels was ready and upset. The famous Christian leader had two delayed flights on his trip from Chicago to Los Angeles and sat on the departure ramp of the airport for six hours on a full-filled plane and then his connecting flight was canceled. He finally got on the plane and collapsed into his seat. His carry-on was on his lap because there was no room in the cabin and under the seats. Just as the plane began to move slowly, he noticed a woman hurrying to the door and falling down the corridor. She was carrying several bags that flew everywhere, but that was her least problem. What aggravated her situation was the fact that one eye was "literally swollen" and it seemed that she could not read the seat numbers with the other eye. The flight attendants were not in sight. While he was still foaming with rage and pitying himself, Hybel's god whispered in his ear, "Bill, I know, this was not one of the good days for you. You missed flights and waited, stood in lines and you hated it. But now you have the chance to make the day better by getting up and showing kindness to this desperate woman. I'm not going to force you to do it, but I think you'll be happy to be surprised if you do. "

Part of me wanted to say, "Certainly not! I just do not feel like it. "But another voice said," Maybe my feelings have nothing to do with it. Maybe I should just do it. "So he got up, walked down the corridor and asked the lady if he could help her find her place. When he found out that she spoke only broken English, he took her bags, which had fallen to the floor, led her to her seat, stowed her luggage, took her jacket off and made sure that she was wearing a seatbelt. Then he went back to his seat.

“May I be a little mystical for a moment?” He writes. “When I sat down in my seat again, a wave of warmth and bliss came over me. The frustration and tension that occupied me all day began to disappear. I felt a warm summer rain wash through my dusty soul. For the first time in 18 hours, I felt good. ”Proverbs 11,25 (EBF) is true: "Those who like to do good will be well satisfied, and those who water (others) will also be watered themselves."

King Solomon borrowed these words from a picture of agriculture and literally means that the one who waters should also be watered himself. He thought this was perhaps a typical practice of farmers when he wrote these words. During the rainy season, when the rivers cross, some peasants, whose fields are near a river bank, drain the water into large reservoirs. Then, during the drought, the selfless farmer helps his neighbors, who have no water reservoir. He then carefully opens the locks and leads the life-giving water to the fields of the neighbors. When another period of drought comes, the selfless farmer has little or no water for himself. The neighboring peasants, who in the meantime have built a reservoir, would repay his friendliness by supplying his fields with water.

It's not about giving something to get something

It is not about donating 100 euros so that God can give back the same amount or more. This saying does not explain what the generous receive (not necessarily financially or materially), but rather they experience something that is much deeper than physical happiness. Solomon says: "Those who like to do good will be well satisfied". The Hebrew word for "satiate / refresh / prosper" does not mean an increase in money or goods, but it means prosperity in spirit, in knowledge and in feelings.

In 1. In kings we read the story of the prophet Elijah and a widow. Elijah is hiding from the wicked King Ahab and God instructs him to go to the city of Zarpat. “I commanded a widow there to look after you,” God said to him. When Elijah arrives in town, he discovers a widow who is collecting firewood and asks her for bread and water. She replies: “As the Lord your God lives: I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in the pot and a little oil in the jug. And see, I have picked up a log or two and am going home and want to prepare myself and my son so that we can eat - and die. "1. Kings 17,912).

Maybe life has become too difficult for the widow and she has given up. It was physically impossible for her to feed two people, let alone three, with what little she had.

But the text continues:
“Elijah said to her: Do not be afraid! Go and do as you said you did. But first make me something baked and bring it out to me; but you should bake something for yourself and your son afterwards. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: The flour in the pot shall not be eaten, and the jar of oil shall not lack anything except for the day when the Lord will rain on the earth. She went and did as Elijah had said. And he ate, and she and her son too, day after day. The flour in the pot was not consumed, and the oil jar lacked nothing according to the word of the Lord which he had spoken through Elijah. ”(1. Kings 17,13-16) Morning and evening, day in and day out, the widow found flour in her pot and oil in her jug. sayings 11,17 says "Kindness nourishes your soul" (New Life. The Bible). Not only her “soul” was nourished, but her whole life. She gave of her little, and her little was increased.

If we have not yet understood the lesson, a few verses later:
“Someone hands out a lot and always has more; another is meager where he should not, and yet becomes poorer ”(Proverbs 11,24). Our Lord Jesus knew about this when he said: “Give, and it will be given to you. A full, pressed, shaken and overflowing measure will be given in your lap; because with the measure with which you measure you will be measured again. ”(Luke 6,38) Also read at 2. Corinthians 9,615!

Have limits

It's not about always doing good deeds. We need to combine our generosity with our judgment. We cannot respond to every need. sayings 3,27 here instructs us: “Do not refuse to do good to the needy, if your hand can do it”. That implies that some people don't deserve our help. Possibly because they are lazy and unwilling to take responsibility for their own lives. They take advantage of help and generosity. Set limits and don't refuse to help.

What talents and gifts has God given you? Do you have a little more money than others? What are your spiritual gifts? Hospitality? Encouragement? Why don't we refresh someone with our wealth? Don't be a reservoir that stays filled to the brim. We are blessed so that we can be a blessing (1. Petrus 3,9). Ask God to show you how to faithfully share His goodness and refresh others. Is there anyone you can show generosity, kindness, and compassion to this week? Perhaps through prayer, actions, words of encouragement, or bringing someone closer to Jesus. Perhaps by email, text message, phone call, letter or visit.

Be like the laborers on the riverbed and let the blessing flow of the grace of God and His goodness soak in you and pass it on. Generous giving blesses other people and makes us part of God's kingdom here on earth. When you unite with God in a flow of love, joy and peace will flow in your life. Those who refresh others will be refreshed themselves. In other words, God has spooned it in, I spoon it out, God has the biggest spoon.

by Gordon Green


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