Christmas is an ideal time for giving, although we should exercise the same spirit of giving throughout the year. Proverbs 11 illustrates why we should be encouraged to give.
Verse 24 says, “There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.” In other words, the giver, as well as the receiver, is blessed. However, if we pass up opportunities to give, we’ll all be the poorer for it.
Verse 25 says, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” If we want to prosper, we should give. It’s like being thirsty. We can expect our thirst to be quenched by giving a drink to someone else who is thirsty.
It’s a paradox that only God can understand. When we give, our wealth is not depleted–instead, we prosper all the more. It’s like feeding a crowd of people with a single basket of fish and bread. When food is removed from the basket, it somehow just keeps replenishing itself. When it comes to giving, there are no losers.