Generous Living - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 23
Generous Living
By Tiffany Thibault
Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. - Proverbs 22:9
I was newly married when I got my first dog. We named him Buddy, and he was super sweet and friendly.
We had a dog door that Buddy could access to go in and out of the house. One day I was at work in our office. I heard the dog door flap open then close as Buddy went outside. He enjoyed wandering around, digging little holes and checking to see if any of the neighbors were in their yard (for they were good for extra petting and sometimes a bone.)
I had just finished my work in the office and was walking into the living room when Buddy poked his head in the dog door, looking around, to see what was going on. He saw me, leaped through the dog door and ran over to where I stood, dropping a dead bird at my feet. He stood there with his ridiculous grin, his tail wagging furiously with joy.
Two completely opposite thoughts ran through my brain at that moment. Gross. Blessed. There was a dead bird laying on my carpet where my little girls played. Disgusting. Then I looked at Buddy’s grinning face, I knew that he loved me. He wanted to bless me by bringing me what he thought was an amazing gift. How could I be mad at that face, at that loving gesture?
I knelt down, gave him a big hug and said good boy! I then gave him a treat to distract him before grabbing some paper towels, picking up that dead bird and putting it in the trash. As I used cleaner to scrub the floor where the decaying bird had dropped, Buddy stood by my side sniffing around for the gift he had given me.
Over the years I have often thought of Buddy’s generosity. All he wanted was to bless me, instead of keeping that treasure for himself. In return, he was blessed with a hug, praise and a treat because he chose to give.
In our verse today, it says that whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed. Buddy went out in the yard to explore and look for new things. He found a bird and thought of me. As you go about your day, are you looking for opportunities to be generous? Can you make it a point today to look for one person you can bless?
A bountiful person gives generously. Buddy gave me the whole bird, keeping none for himself. How can you be more generous to the people around you today?
A bountiful person shares his faith. Who can you share God’s love with? To whom can you give a Bible? What ministry can you donate some of your vacation days to helping?
A bountiful person gives from his energy. Is there someone who needs a smile? Can you hold the door open for the tired mother and her crying toddler? Can you offer to watch someone's kids for a few hours so that they can have a break? Can you drive your elderly neighbor to the store to help them get groceries?
A bountiful person gives his time. Can you carve out a few hours a month to help serve at the homeless shelter, or visit the elderly from your church who can’t make it to services?
Our verse also says that you will be blessed if you share your bread with the poor. That bird would have been a sweet treat for Buddy, but he chose to share it with me. Who can you share your bread with today? Who can you bless out of the resources that the Lord has blessed you with?
When we choose to look for opportunities to bless others, we will be blessed in return. Maybe the blessing will be that our perspective changes as we learn to live out our faith with those around us. Maybe the blessing we receive is not tangible, but instead is just learning to live abundantly. Today, go out and look for one person to bless. See what a difference it will make in your heart and life.
Tiffany Thibault enjoys living life with her husband, two daughters and one very large dog in San Diego. She not only homeschools her girls, but she also loves to write about Jesus and speak about Him to groups of women. She loves long walks, coffee and anything chocolate.
Related Resource: Praying Through Psalm 51: Restoring the Joy of Salvation
Can a heart stained by the worst kinds of betrayal ever truly be restored?? When the world demands justice, does God offer a different way back? In this devotional on Psalm 51, we step into the wreckage of King David’s greatest failure—the affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. We move beyond a simple apology to uncover the specific Hebrew anatomy of David's confession: Pesha (rebellion), Avon (twistedness), and Hata'ah (missing the mark). We explore the shocking reality that under Mosaic Law, David should have faced the death penalty, yet he boldly asks God to "create a way" where the law offered none. If you’ve ever felt like your mistakes have disqualified you from God’s presence, or that you are not worthy due to your past mistakes, this episode offers a roadmap from guilt to gladness. Come ready to run toward the Father who doesn't just want your perfection, but your broken and contrite heart. If this episode helped you connect with God, be sure to follow Praying Christian Women on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
