Gaining Time
“There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.” Proverbs 11:24 NKJV
Traditionally we speak of this verse in regards to finances and the giving of our monetary gifts to the benefit of others. While that is true it is not all that is being spoken here. We have become trained to see this verse only as it pertains to money and thus that is the only conclusion we draw from it. In context, the scattering is referring to money, but the principle applies to all areas of life. We can be in a state of poverty in the sense of so many other things, even of time.
You can read this verse and realize that a person can give of his skills or labors to benefit another and the assumption is that what you give, you will get back with increase. The one who gives of themselves and sacrifices for others will find an increase in others sharing their time and efforts with them.
We can see this scenario has played out in life if your eyes are open to it. Look at your history, how often can you identify that you have given a lot of yourself, and found that there was a reciprocal amount that others gave or invested in you in areas of your need? If you look you will find a correlation in your life. The more you give of yourself to others, the more people are going to give of themselves to you!
Give of yourself, even when it feels like you are yielding a lot of time and effort. All of the time sacrificed to the benefit of others is going to be redeemed back to you and more than you gave. That is the way God operates, He is a God of abundance and you cannot out give Him, even in the giving of yourself.
It is a spiritual principle!!! As you scatter and give time, you can only be on the receiving end of a harvest, in the area you poured out your time. Steadfastly believe that the harvest is coming for you when you give unselfishly to benefit others. Expect an increase that makes no sense logically, but is ridiculous in the measure of its return.
In the area of time….we are gaining and not losing!! Thank you, Jesus!!
J Todd Hostetler