Proverbs 28:27

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about giving:

Proverbs 28:27 (ESV Strong's)

Whoever gives to the poor will not want,

but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

God loves the poor.  He expects us to love the poor, as well.   The above proverb gives us two truths to believe and act upon in regard to today's dilemma with poverty.   The first is that we are to be giving and there are benefits for such actions.   We think if we give our wealth, time or resources away we lose.  But, God states we will not lose, but rather God will bless us.  It should be noted that this does not mean if we give $10 we get $20 back.  What it means is that God will bring into our lives a sense of peace and lack of "wanting."   We won't become poor ourselves.  That doesn't mean we will become richer.   It doesn't even mean we will have the same level as before.   It simple means what it says: We won't want.   God can and will take away our own inward needs when we give.  We won't want. The second truth is as equally motivating.  When we close our eyes to the poor, we ignore them and don't care for them, we will putting our lives in line of many curses.   Not just a few!   God sees those who don't see poverty and need.   He doesn't hold us responsible for what we don't to see.   He does hold us responsible for what we refuse to see.  We can't simply observe the poverty and do nothing.  We can give to our church and ask our church to distribute to the poor.  But that does not give us the privilege of refusing to see what is right in front of us.

Those who have money, goods and resources, sometimes think they need to horde them.   They are afraid if they give them up they may never accumulate them again; or, as much, again.  However, God gives so that we can give.   God tells us via Solomon (the riches man recorded in the Bible) that if he gives, if we give, we will never want.   Everything we give in a sincere heart will be blessed with a return blessing.  On the other hand, if we shut our eyes to the needs of the poor (in this case, those less fortunate than us) we will not only lose our goods, wealth or resources, we will accumulate curses in replace.  God has always wanted those with the means to care for those who have less.  God says He actually creates the poor:

Proverbs 22:2 (ESV)

The rich and the poor meet together;

the LORD is the Maker of them all.

 The rich can care for the poor to show mercy and grace.  It is when we lack mercy and grace that we receive curses.  God is in charge of those too.  Giving is a true act of the heart.  It can only really come from the heart.   When it does, it is blessed by being given more to give.