The Point The Passage The Bible Meets Life The Setting

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The Point Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.

The Passage Proverbs 11:23-29

The Bible Meets Life There is great value and virtue in working hard, earning money, and managing it well without waste. But our money is not for ourselves alone. The Bible calls us to be generous. We belong to God and, therefore, all we have belongs to Him. We are to earn, use, and manage our money wisely, but our money is ultimately for His glory. We express our trust in Him and further His kingdom by meeting the needs of others.

The Setting Proverbs 11:23-27 focuses on generosity and selfishness. Verses 23 and 27 serve as the framework for the rest of the passage, noting that in life a person reaps exactly what is sown in terms of how he or she behaves. Verses 24-26 explore this idea in terms of giving versus hoarding. Proverbs 11:28–12:4 form another unit, again focusing on the relationship of one’s actions and their repercussions. Verses 11:28-29 and 12:3-4 teach that the true foundation of providing for one’s family’s well-being is righteousness, while 11:30–12:2 again emphasize a person’s reward or punishment is based upon his or her behavior, whether righteousness or wickedness is pursued.

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What does the Bible say?

Proverbs 11:23-29 (HCSB) 23 The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the

wicked leads to wrath. 24 One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds

what is right, only to become poor. 25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a

drink of water will receive water. 26 People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will

come to the one who sells it. 27 The one who searches for what is good finds favor, but if

someone looks for trouble, it will come to him. 28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will

flourish like foliage. 29 The one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the

wind, and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise.

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THE POINT

Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.

GET INTO THE STUDY

10 minutes

DISCUSS: Invite your group members

Notes

to discuss Question 1 on page 107 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG): “What’s the most generous act you’ve witnessed?” Allow time for each person to respond. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 108): A little boy had two dollars. One was for the offering at church and the other

TIP: Have Bibles available in your meeting space for those who didn’t bring one to use and for anyone who doesn’t own one to  have.

was for buying candy after church. As he approached the church building, the boy dropped one of the dollar bills and watched as it fell straight into a storm drain. The boy looked up to heaven and said, “Lord, there goes your dollar!” We may laugh at this story, but unfortunately, many Christians dole out their giving in much the same way. We are often guilty of taking our “fair share” before we even think of giving back to the Lord or to others. By nature we are takers, not givers. That’s because our sin nature leans toward greed, not generosity. SAY: “Thankfully, we do not have to remain there. The Holy Spirit can transform us from the inside out, opening our hearts—and our wallets—to be a channel of God’s grace to the world around us.” GUIDE: Call the group’s attention to The Point on page 108 of the PSG: “Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.” PRAY: Transition into the Bible study with prayer. Ask God for a greater awareness of the needs of people you and your group members connect with on a regular basis.

PLAYLIST PICK: “All That I Am” by Rend Collective BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE © 2015 LifeWay

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 11:23-26

Notes

23

The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the wicked leads

to wrath. 24 One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. 25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water. 26 People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Proverbs 11:23-26. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 110): Solomon recognized one of Scripture’s great paradoxical truths in this passage: he who gives has all that he needs, but he who holds onto what he has will lose it. This mindset is the exact opposite of our practical, logical way of thinking. ]]

Verse 24 says it this way: generosity produces a reward, while stinginess (hoarding, selfishness) produces a punishment.

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Verse 25 says it this way: “a generous person will be enriched,” and “the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.” Water is essential for life, but in both ancient and modern Israel water is sometimes difficult to get. Therefore, water is frequently mentioned as a blessing in Scripture.

DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 110 of the PSG: “What moves you to be generous?” SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 110): What’s the opposite of generosity? Hoarding. ]]

Verse 26 references a business practice that used hoarding for personal gain. Sometimes wealthy landowners would store their grain in hopes that the scarcity of grain at a later time would cause the price to rise due to the law of supply and demand.

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This practice would give the landowners a larger profit but would cause hardship on most people, some of whom would starve. Verse 26 explains that, “a blessing will come to the one who sells it.”

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THE POINT

Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.

Proverbs 11:23-26 Commentary Be generous with what you have. Verse 23: At first glance, Proverbs 11:23 does not refer directly to financial matters as verses 24‑26 do. However, verse 23 contrasts the righteous character of people and this outcome with the wicked character of other people and that outcome. Finances are neither good nor bad. Money, possessions, and all we have are gifts from God. We are to be good stewards of all that God graciously gives us, including our finances. Therefore, how people deal with their finances (their motives, their plans, and their actions) is either good or bad. Proverbs 11:23 focuses first on the word “desire.” To desire means to long for, wish for, and crave (all in a good sense). This word also means lust in the sense of a strong desire (usually in a negative sense). The desire is of the righteous. To be righteous is to be just, correct, right, and lawful; it is to act like God. This word first appears when God called Noah “a righteous man” (Genesis 6:9). The remaining words in Proverbs  11:23a are “turns out well.” This reflects what Bible scholars call the deuteronomic formula: do good and you will be blessed; do evil and you will be punished (Deuteronomy  28:1,15). When God’s people act in God’s ways (righteousness), generally the normal result is blessing (good). The converse is also true: when people act against God’s ways (sin), generally the normal result is punishment (bad). Proverbs 11:23b expresses that. Many of the words in the second half of this verse stand in direct contrast to the words in the first half. Verse 23a speaks of desire; verse 23b speaks of hope. Verse 23a refers to the righteous; verse 23b refers to the wicked. Verse 23a mentions “turns out well;” verse 23b mentions “wrath.” Verse 24: In Proverbs  11:24‑26 the general topic is generosity vs. selfishness (hoarding); this is expressed positively in this section’s focus on being generous in what we have. Verse 24 continues the comparisons we saw in verse 23. “One person gives freely, yet gains more.” This translation certainly reflects Jesus’ statement, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). This is also reflected in Paul’s words to the Corinthians, “The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). The second half of verse 24 contrasts with the first half: “another withholds what is right, only to become poor.” Verse 24 is a paradox—an outcome that is the opposite of what is expected—the person who gives grows richer. The point of verse 24 is that generosity produces a reward, “gains more”; likewise stinginess (hoarding, selfishness) produces a punishment,”become poor.”

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5 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 11:23-26 Continued

Notes

23

The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the wicked leads

to wrath. 24 One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. 25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water. 26 People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What does it look like to be generous when you’re trying to make ends meet?

DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 111 of the PSG: “How have you witnessed the truth of these verses?” SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 111): When we recognize all God has given on our behalf, it should compel us to give freely and generously. Need more reasons to be generous? Here are three: ]]

All we have belongs to God (Deuteronomy 10:14). God is the Source of all our blessings—everything we see, feel, touch, sit on, live in, utilize, and enjoy. Recognizing the true ownership of all we have enables us to hold finances, possessions, and talents loosely because ultimately none of it belongs to us.

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All we have is a gift of grace from God (2 Corinthians 9:8-11). Not only is God the owner of all, but He is also the Giver of all. All that we have received is a gift of His grace. He is a good God, and we do not need anyone or anything else to meet our needs. He is more than enough.

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Giving is an act of worship (Luke 21:1-4). If we are not givers, we are not worshipers. It doesn’t matter how loud we sing or how often we raise our hands. True worshipers are generous givers. Our giving is an outward expression of our inward praise, obedience to the Word, and recognition of our full dependence upon God.

TRANSITION: What does generosity have to do with trusting God? Plenty. The next verses speak to this relationship.

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THE POINT

Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.

Proverbs 11:23-26 Commentary Continued Verse 25: This verse carries on the main idea of the previous verse: doing what is right brings blessings. Phrased in the form of a proverb, this paradox uses parallelism, a primary component of Hebrew poetry. Specifically, verse 25 is called synonymous parallelism (the meaning of the first line is repeated in the second line). Thus, the meaning of the first line of verse  25, “a generous person will be enriched,” is reflected in the second line, “and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.” Water is refreshing because it is essential for life. In arid or semi-arid regions (found in both ancient and modern Israel), water is sometimes difficult to get. Therefore, water is frequently mentioned as a blessing (see especially John 4:14; Revelation 21:6). What makes a generous person? A person whose heart is right, a person who has a heart for God and is like God. Repeatedly throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God shows His concern for the needy and His contempt for the selfish—particularly those who are selfish and rich. Does this mean that we give to everyone who has a sign that reads “Hungry,” “Need Help,” or “Willing to work for food”? At the moment of salvation we receive (are brought into relationship with) God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. A generous Christian has God’s wisdom (through His Holy Spirit) to distinguish between the truly needy and those who are merely lazy. Does generosity involve more than money? Absolutely. Generosity may involve our time, our talents and skills, and our possessions. It is reflected in our attitudes as well as our actions. Generosity is one of the many qualities of God that He desires to see reflected in the lives of His people. To be like God, we must be generous in giving and investing in the lives of others. Verse 26: Proverbs 11:26 introduces another type of literary device, antithetical parallelism (where the second line is the opposite of the previous line). Whereas verse 25 spoke of generosity, verse 26a speaks of the opposite, hoarding, and verse 26b returns to generosity. The idea behind verse 26 comes from the marketplace. Sometimes wealthy landowners would store their grain (“anyone who hoards grain”) in hopes that the scarcity of grain at a later time would cause the price to rise (the law of supply and demand). This would give the landowners a larger profit but would cause hardship on most people (some of whom would starve); many people would curse the landowners because of this practice. Proverbs 11:26b returns our thoughts from hoarding back to generosity: ”but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.” The Bible contains other examples of this verse. A negative example is Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, who refused to sell food to the Israelites as they journeyed to the promised land and was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 2:26‑31). A positive example is Joseph, who sold Pharaoh’s grain to people during a famine and was blessed by God (Genesis 41:56-57; 47:13‑20). BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE © 2015 LifeWay

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15 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE Proverbs 11:27-29

Notes

27

The one who searches for what is good finds favor, but if someone looks

for trouble, it will come to him. 28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 The one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the wind, and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Proverbs 11:27-29. DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 112 of the PSG on their own. If time allows, invite volunteers to share aloud their responses. Thrive or Fail? ]]

When you think about Proverbs 11:28, what captures your attention? Describe, list, or sketch your response.

DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 112 of the PSG: “How would you summarize the warnings in these verses?” SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 113): Solomon warned of the danger of trusting in riches. ]]

The word “trusting” in verse 28 carries the idea of confidence and security without fear. However, we cannot find that sort of confidence by putting our trust in riches. Solomon said those who misplace their trust will fall.

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On the other hand, the God of the universe is completely trustworthy and reliable. The righteous trust Him and acknowledge their total dependency on Him (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

ALTERNATE QUESTION: Moving forward, what steps can you take to honor God with your money?

DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 113 of the PSG: “What do we stand to gain when we submit to the Bible’s teaching about money?” ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): As a group, identify the types of things you may have in excess. It may be food, furniture, clothing, older cell phones, or computers going unused. Next, identify where and how you can donate them to someone in need.

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THE POINT

Use what you have to invest in the lives of others.

Proverbs 11:27-29 Commentary Honor God and seek to do good with your money. Verse 27: When we trust our riches, we are more likely to hoard what we have. When we trust in God and seek to live in His righteousness, we recognize that all we have is from Him and we will desire to use our riches to honor Him. The first line of verse 27 reads: “The one who searches for what is good finds favor.” The Hebrew word translated “searches” suggests “looking for dawn” and “rising up early to seek.” This word implies a repeated, ongoing, diligent, or earnest search. Proverbs 11:27a also reflects the basic idea in verse 25a; that idea is you reap what you sow. Theologically, this is classified as God’s retributive justice, as the second line of verse 27 reflects. Verse 27b reads: “but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.” The principle is: we get what we search for. Like most proverbs that draw their truth from common everyday examples, this is more of a general principle than a specific promise true in every situation. Verse 28: Both lines of verse 28 continue to express cause and result. However, the second part of the verse stands in contrast with the first. Verse 28a reads, “Anyone trusting in his riches will fall.” Instead of “will fall,” some Hebrew scholars suggest the text should read “will wither,” a phrase which correlates with the foliage mentioned in the next part of the verse. Since obviously we shouldn’t trust in riches, in what or whom should we trust? God points us to the answer in the second part of verse 28. Verse 28b reads “but the righteous will flourish like foliage.” The answer to the previous question is rather than trusting in riches, we should trust in God as we seek Him and His righteousness, living lives of obedience to God that reflect His character and His ways. Verse 29: Our final focal verse for this study continues the cause/effect we’ve seen in other verses. The first part of the verse reads, “the one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the wind.” The phrase “will inherit the wind” is a poetic way of saying “will get nothing.” The last part of verse 29 reads “and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise.” “A fool [who] will be a slave” is parallel with “the one who brings ruin.” The phrase “someone whose heart is wise” reflects the theme of the Book of Proverbs in teaching a person how to be wise. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge (information, facts) in ways that produce the type of life that God wants His people to have. Wisdom has both spiritual and practical components and is characteristic of people who are successful in God’s eyes. The opposite of the wise is the fool. When we follow God’s instructions, we become wise and lead successful lives. When we are wise, we use what we have to invest in the lives of others.

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5 minutes

LIVE IT OUT SAY: “How will you invest in the lives of others?” GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 114 of the PSG. ]]

Evaluate your own level of generosity. Do you give freely or reluctantly? What makes you hesitant? Ask God to help you overcome the hurdles of selfishness, fear, or a busy schedule.

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Practice generosity. Carry $10 with you this week and give it away when you sense God’s nudge to do so.

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Don’t go it alone. Gather your friends and commit to meet one need together that you couldn’t meet alone. Check out samaritanspurse.org and click on the “Donate” tab for a list of needs that span the globe. Worried about the cost? Don’t be. Some items listed are less than $10.

Wrap It Up
 SAY: “Generosity may not be our first inclination, but God graciously shapes our hearts to become more like His when we surrender our will to Him. When we practice generosity, our lives reflect the generous nature of God to those around us.”

Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry).

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