“He who has a generous eye will be blessed” (Proverbs 22:9 NKJV).
What does it mean to have a “generous eye?” The Hebrew word translated “generous” might also be translated as “bountiful, merciful, or good.” A generous eye is a good eye.
When I played Little League baseball as a kid, and stood fast at bat on a bad pitch, the coach would yell, “Good eye Combs!” Referring to the way I didn’t swing. You see, to have a “good eye” in baseball means that the batter is looking for a good pitch to swing at.
But what does it mean to have a “generous eye?” I think it means to be looking for an opportunity to be generous. It means to live with a predisposition for intentional generosity. Just as a good batter visualizes the type of pitch he wants to hit, so the one with a generous eye has a plan for being generous.
A generosity plan?
Who ever heard of having a generosity plan? Plans to save, plans to pay off debt, plans to buy a house or fund your children’s college education… these are plans we’ve heard of and hopefully made. But a plan to give stuff away? That’s crazy!
Yet, God’s Word promises that the one with a “generous eye will be blessed.” Those with a predisposition towards generosity will experience the blessing of God. It is God Himself who promises to generously bless the one, who in generosity, blesses others.
So, how might we make a generosity plan? Here are a few questions to consider that may help:
- How much did you give to your church, to missions and other charities last year?
- Did you give what you think you should have given?
- What would a generous amount have been? (Keep in mind that 10% of our income belongs to God as a tithe to our local church. This is an expression of faith and obedience. So, generosity has an eye to exceed this amount in giving.)
- Where do you need to reduce spending on yourself in order to make margin for generosity this year?
- Do you have a plan to keep some money on hand for those moments when God stirs your heart to give or help someone in need? (I try to keep some cash on hand with me that I call my “Jesus money.” When Jesus stirs my heart, I give it away.)
Those who desire to receive God’s blessing have to stop blessing themselves so much to make room for blessing others. This won’t happen by accident. We must be intentional about it. As the apostle Paul said, “… arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift” (2 Corinthians 9:5).
I’m evaluating my 2015 generosity and asking God to enable me to be more generous in 2016. I want to experience the blessing of God that comes through having an eye for intentional generosity. I’m making a generosity plan.
Will you join with me in praying to have a more “generous eye” in 2016?