13 IS a Lucky Number - My WOW Wisdom for today

This is one of many very amazing wisdom diamonds in God's Word - I love it! In fact, I put writing this blog on hold to go to an appointment I had this morning (dropping off my Volvo for a remodel). The owner is a reader (so cool) and we ended up talking about this incredible passage (he may be reading it at the same time you are). The principle in this one passage can encourage huge life change in your relationships (marriage, friendships, ministry), your finances, your employment. But most of all, it can encourage you as today you get to leave a forever mark in someone else's life. My passage for today is Proverbs 11:24-25.

But first . .

1) A funny verse, 2) a cool verse, and 3), an interesting little "interpretation" experiment.

Funny: Prov. 11:22 (BGA translation) "A good looking guy (Brad Pitt like) who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout."

Cool: Verse 17 "Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel." What opportunities for kindness were handed to you today?


Experiment: Read Proverbs 11:24-25 and then write down what this verse is saying to you. Then compare it to the way it thudded into my life over the past three years. (I've been reading Proverbs every year for the past eight years.)

"It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. 25 The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."

bga Insights:


1) You have to invest in order to gain more. Let go of what you can hold in your hand so that you can receive an even greater blessing. Businesses that operate from a "conservation" base (we don't want to lose business or income) will never be great businesses. Relationships that have the fear of "loss" as the core will experience more jealousy, and instead of pouring into the relationship will drain it. My grandpa used to say, "Nothing times nothing is still nothing." We live in a "get" kind of society. Who do you freely give to right now? Are you pouring into a young person's life? Laura and I are currently mentoring three young people directly and several indirectly. Is there a business associate you have invested in this week? I mentor one pastor and invest into several that work outside Living Hope. You will be amazed at the level of "wealth" you will gain by investing in people who work in the same area of employment. And an even bigger question is, how freely do you pour into your marriage, your children, parents, siblings, or friends? I see a lot of "ok" and "good" relationships, but few "incredible" friendships, marriages, and parent/children. How much are you freely investing?

2) Stinginess finds its fuel in a misbelief that you have to "have" something to be ok with yourself. Reread verse 24 again and then quiet your mind so you can focus on this important thought: "What am I feeling I must have in order to be ok with life right now?" I was tempted to feel very frustrated with issues I'm having with one of my laptops this morning. I can't get my other laptop to link with my router. I was very tempted to believe my "electronics world" has to operate smoothly or my life is not good. Stupid? Very! But it attempted to take over an important moment I was given to invest more into my sweetheart's life this morning. I wanted to "fix" my computer problems instead of stopping and seizing a moment I had with my wife. Guess what I freely chose to do?

3) God's insurance plan says He will guarantee that those who live from the belief that they can always afford to be "generous" will prosper and be at peace in their hearts (re-read verse 25). How satisfied are you right now in your life? If you're not cool with your answer, how about trying God's perfect plan? Invite God to change your perspective to that of believing you have an unlimited well of goodness and that you GET to be generous to everyone! Don't just show a "little love" to your mate, be lavishly generous. If God has given you a very special friend don't just tell them you appreciate their friendship, really risk telling them HOW MUCH you are blessed by being their friend. Can you afford to buy a great book for someone? Do it! Could you buy movie tickets for a couple who need a date night but are short on cash? If you are so blessed to know someone in this situation, then seize the "divine moment" God has given you. Live from a belief that you are rich! Because if you are best friends with Jesus you really are! Look for those 101 ways you are already able to "refresh" others.

LOOK UP THESE WORDS:

Verse 24 Give freely = (lit. Heb.) to scatter. The picture is that of using one of those broadcast hand fertilizers and letting "investment nutrients" be thrown out in a wide path wherever you walk.
Verse 25 Generous = to bless (root word = to kneel). The idea is that of being "knighted" or "anointed" to be blessed (first used in Genesis 1:22) to go out and be richly rewarded. In the Old Testament a "benediction" blessing would be said over people. This is the same word as Solomon uses here. We can richly pour into other's lives, into the dreams we have to use our business to bless others, into the local church (not religion) and KNOW it will leave a lasting legacy.

Love these verses by Paul: 2 Cor. 8:7-14; 9:6-12