No Stinginess

DEVOTION

ECCLESIASTES

NO STINGINESS

Eccl 11:1-5

11:1

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. 2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie. 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

NIV

What? Sometimes these sayings sound like nonsense, yet this is the word of God and it has to have a significant meaning. Why would we cast our bread upon the waters only to find it again in many days? Referring to our scholars of old on this reveals their  thinking this refers to the planting of rice, which is done in ground covered with water and after it takes root it is grows out of the water. Solomon could have just said that if that is what was meant. But we think this may not be as our scholars contend. The idea which then would include the giving of seven even eight portions because we do not know what disaster may come upon the land has to do with being generous with those in need, casting our bread, giving eight portions, both being generous as we never know, someday we may be in need and will have to rely on others being generous to us. This is not a give to get scheme which has been espoused by some false teachers over the years. It is just saying that when we have, give some of it to those who don’t have. Some day we could not have and be in need. Just saying. We should be like the clouds full of water, pour out rain upon the earth. Because we have a lot, pour it out on others. That tree can represent the life of a person, just never know which way life will fall, but it still can fall and there we find ourselves. However on the other side of the coin, we are not to just sit around and look to others who have to give to us. If we are watching for that, the wind, then we never get out there and plant, work trying to make our own way in life. We just can’t say, “I am in need” and look to others to give. If that is the case we will never reap. It goes back to the fact God designed us to work for our living. Yes, we trust him for more the salvation. We trust him to provide for us. He provides us with employment so we do not have idle hands. He provides us with the ability to work for our sustenance, to toil the ground, so to speak, by the sweat of our brow. If a man does not work, he does not eat. That is a principle which has been taught in scripture. Yet we are also to share with those who are in need. Sometimes life just turns in a way that things just go south and somehow people cannot work, or are able to work, or have some troubles which cause them to be in need. In fact that could be us, we never know. So don’t be stingy.