The acclaimed wisest man in history, King Solomon, wrote in one of his proverbs that “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” (Prov 22:9)
In our days, it seems a common conclusion that blessed individuals are those who see bounty in their lives. They are surrounded by riches and all the good things that this world can give. But it appears that wisdom would not agree with our conclusion. According to wisdom, it is not the experience of the bounty that brings blessing. It is the sharing of the bounty that brings blessing.
Bounty, or something occurring in generous amounts, is indeed a wonderful thing. To have a bounty in your life is very enjoyable, particularly when that bounty is something of value. But having bounty is not in and of itself a blessing. The burden of bounty is real, and it will steal any benefits one may receive from having a lot of stuff. But wisdom does not look at the bounty as a blessing. Wisdom proclaims the blessing of bounty is found in the sharing of bounty. In other words, the “bountiful eye” Solomon refers to in his proverb is not the eye that sees riches; rather, it is the eye that looks to share riches with others. It is in this purposeful action that there is a blessing.
Let your bountiful eye see those around you with whom you may share. Give your Mite and be blessed. Not sure where to start? We can help with that! We have a list of active projects right now that need your Mite!