Jonathan Edwards: Promises

Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. Just as you do not know the path of the wind, and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes everything. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

“Objection #3. I have in times past given to the poor, but never found myself the better for it. I have heard ministers preach, that giving to the poor was the way to prosper. But I perceive not that I am more prosperous than I was before. Yes, I have met with many misfortunes, crosses, and disappointments in my affairs since. And it may be that some will say, That very year, or soon after the very time, I had been giving to the poor, hoping to be blessed for it, I met with great losses, and things went hardly with me; and therefore I do not find what I hear preached about giving to the poor, as being the way to be blessed and prosperous, agreeable to my experience.

To this objection I shall answer several things:

First, perhaps you looked out for the fulfillment of the promise too soon, before you had fulfilled the condition. As particularly, perhaps you have been so sparing and grudging in your kindness to the poor, that what you have done has been rather a discovery of a covetous, niggardly spirit, than of any bounty or liberality. The promises are not made to every many who gives anything at all to the poor, let it be ever so little, and after what manner soever given. You mistook the promises, if you understood them so. A man may give something to the poor, and yet be entitled to no promise, either temporal or spiritual. The promises are made to mercy and liberality. But a man may give something, and yet be so niggardly and grudging in it, that what he gives may be, as the apostle calls it, a matter of covetousness. What he does may be more a manifestation of his covetousness and closeness, than anything else. But there are no promises made to men’s expressing their covetousness.

Perhaps what you gave was not freely given, but as it were of necessity. It was grudgingly; your hearts were grieved when you gave. And if you gave once or twice what was considerable, yet that doth not answer the rule. It may be, for all that, that in the general course of your lives you have been far from being kind and liberal to your neighbors. Perhaps you thought that because you once or twice gave a few shillings to the poor, that then you stood entitled to the promises of being blessed in all your concerns, and of increasing and being established by liberal things, though in the general you have lived in a faulty neglect of the duty of charity. You raise objections from experience, before you have made trial. To give once, or twice, or thrice, is not to make trial, though you give considerably. You cannot make any trial unless you become a liberal person, or unless you become such that you may be truly said to be of a liberal and bountiful practice. Let one who is truly such, and has been such in the general course of his life, tell what he hath found by experience.

Second, if you have been liberal to the poor, and have met with calamities since, yet how can you tell how much greater calamities and losses you might have met with, if you had been otherwise? You say you have met with crosses, and disappointments, and frowns. If you expected to meet with no trouble in the world, because you gave to the poor, you mistook the matter. Though there be many and great promises made to the liberal, yet God hath no where promised, that they shall not find this world a world of trouble. It will be so to all. Man is born to sorrow, and must expect no other than to meet with sorrow here. But how can you tell how much greater sorrow you would have met with, if you had been close and unmerciful to the poor? How can you tell how much greater losses you would have met with? How much more vexation and trouble would have followed you? Have none ever met with greater frowns in their outward affairs, than you have?

Third, how can you tell what blessings God hath yet in reserve for you if you do but continue in well-doing? Although God hath promised great blessings to liberality to the poor, yet he hath not limited himself as to the time of the bestowment. If you have not yet seen any evident fruit of your kindness to the poor, yet the time may come when you shall see it remarkably, and that at a time when you most stand in need of it. You cast your bread upon the waters, and looked for it, and expected to find it again presently. And sometimes it is so. But this is not promised. It is promised, “Thou shalt find it again after many days.” God knows how to choose a time for you, better than you yourselves. You should therefore wait his time. If you go on in well-doing, God may bring it to you when you stand most in need.

It may be that there is some winter a-coming, some day of trouble. And God keeps your bread for you against that time. And then God will give you good measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. We must trust in God’s Word for the bestowment of the promised reward, whether we can see in what manner it is done or no. Pertinent to the present purpose are those words of the wise man in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “He that observeth the winds shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.” In this context the wise man in speaking of charity to the poor, and comparing it to sowing seed; and advises us to trust Providence for success in that, as we do in sowing seed. He that regardeth the winds and clouds, to prognosticate thence prosperity to seed, and will not trust Providence with it, is not like to sow, nor to have bread-corn. So he that will not trust Providence for the reward of his charity to the poor is [likely] to go without the blessing. After the words now quoted, follows his advice, Ecclesiastes 11:6, “In the morning sow thy seed, and the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” — Therefore (Galatians 6:9) “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” You think you have not reaped yet. Whether you have or not, go on still in giving and doing good; and if you do so, you shall reap in due time. God only knows the due time, the best time, for you to reap.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) Section IV.

I appreciate how Edwards addresses objections to Christian charity as we often think or hear these objections but don’t often hear the biblical response to help us avoid succumbing to them.

In short, if you have cared for the poor and not experienced blessing and even found crosses and difficulties, assess if your heart was right, consider that you may have been saved from greater calamity, and maybe you need to allow more time to pass.

God is not slow to keeping His promises. Give generously in this season of thanksgiving. Remember GTP in your global giving as we give a hand up to the poorest of poor in hard places to build them into fruitful disciples. Click here to give.

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? Isaiah 29:15-16

“Objection #2: If I be liberal and bountiful, I shall only make a righteousness of it, and so it will do me more hurt than good. To this I say,

First, the same answer may be made to this, as to the former objection, viz. that you may as well make the same objection against doing any religious or moral duty at all. If this be a sufficient objection against deeds of charity, then it is a sufficient objection to prayer. For nothing is more common than for persons to make a righteousness of their prayers. So it is a good objection against your keeping the Sabbath, or attending any public worship, or ever reading in the Bible. For of all these things you are in danger of making a righteousness. — Yea, of the objection be good against deeds of charity, then it is as good against acts of justice. And you may neglect to speak the truth, may neglect to pay your debts, may neglect acts of common humanity; for of all those things you are in danger of making a righteousness. So that if your objection be good, you may throw up all religion, and live like heathens or atheists, and may be thieves, robbers, fornicators, adulterers, murderers, and commit all the sins that you can think of, lest if you should do otherwise, you should make a righteousness of your conduct.

Second, your objection carries it thus, that it is not best for you to do as God commands and counsels you to do. We find many commands in Scripture to be charitable to the poor. The Bible is full of them; and you are not excepted from those commands. God makes no exception of any particular kinds of persons that are especially in danger of making a righteousness of what they do. And God often directs and counsels persons to this duty. Now will you presume to say that God has not directed you to the best way? He has advised you to do thus, but you think it not best for you, but that it would do you more hurt than good, if you should do it. You think there is other counsel better than God’s, and that it is the best way for you to go contrary to God’s commands.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) Section IV.

Edwards offers an interesting answer to the objection that says liberality or generosity will do me more harm than good. Basically, he shows the false thinking for what it is. It’s telling God you know better. It’s the pot telling the potter “you know nothing.”

We would not think of saying such a thing to God, and yet, it’s what we do when we ignore the advised path of righteous conduct. The paradox in this is that God does not force us to choose this path. He merely tells us the fruits that come with our decisions.

What about you? I am not asking what you have said to God with your lips. I want to know what your actions communicate to Him. Do your plans say radical obedience or worldly foolishness? The rich started on the right path. Be sure your trajectory aims at finishing well.

Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: “Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” Daniel 4:27

“I proceed now to answer some objections which are sometimes made against this duty.

Objection #1: I am in a natural condition, and if I should give to the poor, I should not do it with a right spirit, and so should get nothing by it. — To this I answer,

First, we have shown already that a temporal blessing is promised to a moral bounty and liberality. This is the way to be prospered. This is the way to increase. We find in Scripture many promises of temporal blessings to moral virtues; as to diligence in our business, to justice in our dealings, to faithfulness, to temperance. So there are many blessings promised to bounty and liberality.

Second, you may as well make the same objection against any other duty of religion. You may as well object against keeping the Sabbath, against prayer, or public worship, or against doing anything at all in religion. For while in a natural condition, you do not any of these duties with a right spirit. If you say, you do these duties because God hath commanded or required them of you, and you shall sin greatly if you neglect them, you shall increase your guilt, and so expose yourselves to the greater damnation and punishment. The same may be said of the neglect of this duty; the neglect of it is as provoking to God.

If you say that you read, and pray, and attend public worship, because that is the appointed way for you to seek salvation, so is bounty to the poor, as much as those. The appointed way for us to seek the favor of God and eternal life, is the way of the performance of all known duties, of which giving to the poor is one as much known, and as necessary, as reading the Scriptures, praying, or any other. Showing mercy to the poor does as much belong to the appointed way of seeking salvation, as any other duty whatever.

Therefore this is the way in which Daniel directed Nebuchadnezzar to seek mercy, in Daniel 4:27, “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) Section IV.

I did not recall this interaction between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. He was to show his repentance by his showing kindness to the oppressed, mercy to the poor.

Edwards reasons that people can choose to refuse to show mercy to those in need. He helps us see the nonsensical nature of such a decision.

We “break off our sins by righteousness” and this must be understood not as redemptive (accomplishing our salvation) but our restorative responsibility (or part of working out our salvation) .

The rewards that come with obedience follow as we take the appointed way. Will you take it? That’s entirely up to you. With Edwards, I see it as a duty that brings life and blessing.

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. Proverbs 21:13

“Giving to the needy is like laying up against winter, or against a time of calamity. It is the best way of laying up for yourselves and for your children. Children in a time of need very often find their fathers’ bread, that bread which their fathers had cast upon the waters.

Psalm 37:25, “I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Why? What is the reason of it? It follows in the next verse, “He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed.”

Whether the time will ever come or not, that we or our children shall be in distressing want of bread; yet doubtless evil will be on the earth. We shall have our times of calamity, wherein we shall stand in great need of God’s pity and help, if not of that of our fellow creatures. And God hath promised that at such a time, he that hath been of a charitable spirit and practice, shall find help.

Psalm 41:1-4, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”

Such as have been merciful and liberal to others in their distress, God will not forget it, but will so order it, that they shall have help when they are in distress. Yea, their children shall reap the fruit of it in the day of trouble. God hath threatened uncharitable persons, that if ever they come to be in calamity and distress they shall be left helpless.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) Section III.

Edwards continues to offer us timeless wisdom. Today, he repeatedly draws from the wisdom literature to alert us to the best way to prepare for calamity.

How? Simply hear and respond to the cries of those in need. Uncharitable persons will be left helpless but those who hear the cries of the poor will also be themselves heard.

Do you know any people or ministries in need? How might you help them with your time or resources? Edwards reminds us that those “of a charitable spirit and practice” will find help.

Father, help those who live, give, serve, and love generously. Restore their strength. Replenish their resources. Let the charitable spirits always find the help they need. Amen.

Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. Proverbs 28:27

God hath threatened to follow with his curse those who are uncharitable to the poor…It is said, he that hideth his eyes, because this is the way of uncharitable men. They hide their eyes from seeing the wants of their neighbor. A charitable person, whose heart disposes him to bounty and liberality, will be quick-sighted to discern the needs of others. They will not be at any difficulty to find out who is in want. They will see objects enough of their charity, let them go whither they will.

But, on the contrary, he that is of a niggardly spirit, so that it goes against the grain to give anything, he will be always at a loss for objects of his charity. Such men excuse themselves with this, that they find not anyone to give to. They hide their eyes, and will not see their neighbor’s wants. If a particular object is presented, they will not very readily see his circumstances. They are a long while in being convinced that he is an object of charity. They hide their eyes. And it is not an easy thing to make them sensible of the necessities and distresses of their neighbor, or at least to convince them, that his necessities are such that they ought to give him any great matter.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

Today’s post calls for further self-assessment.

Think of behavior that could be labeled “quick-sighted” to notice the needs around us. Such a person might anticipate and give without direct knowledge of need.

This person says, “That young mom needs a helping hand.” Or “We should think of ways to help that new family who just moved into the neighborhood.”

Conversely, consider the one of “niggardly” spirit, who “excuse themselves” of any responsibility or opportunity to give. And don’t just picture Scrooge in this role.

It marks those who live self-absorbed, insulated lives. They are not “sensible of the necessities and distresses of their neighbor” because they don’t even know their neighbor’s name. This is me sometimes. Perhaps you too?

This post aims not to point fingers but to awaken sleepers. Don’t hide your eyes. Ask God to open them and show you people or ministries to support.

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

“It is a remarkable evidence how little many men realize the things of religion, whatever they pretend; how little they realize that the Scripture is the Word of God, or if it be, that he speaks true; that notwithstanding all the promises made in the Scripture to bounty to the poor, yet they are so backward to this duty, and are so afraid to trust God with a little of their estates. Observation may confirm the same thing which the Word of God teaches on this head. God, in his providence, generally smiles upon and prospers those men who are of a liberal, charitable, bountiful spirit.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

Let’s lean into these biblical ideas, that God prospers those who are of a “liberal, charitable, and bountiful” spirit.

The word liberal points the measure of the giving. It suggests that it appears excessive or beyond expected amount. The term charitable implies grace. The abundance of our sharing appears as beyond what those around us deserve. And the descriptor bountiful relates to the term bounty. It takes shape as a blessed reward for behavior. So, think of bountiful as a person who living has gained them rich blessing.

Taken together, God smiles upon and prospers those whose bent leans toward sharing excessively and graciously as conduits of divine provision. Do these three terms reflect your generous spirit?

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

“It is easy with God to make up to men what they give in charity. Many but little consider how their prosperity or ill success in their outward affairs depends upon Providence. There are a thousand turns of Providence, to which their affairs are liable, whereby God may either add to their outward substance, or diminish from it, a great deal more than they are ordinarily called to give to their neighbors. How easy is it with God to diminish what they possess by sickness in their families, by drought, or frost, or mildew, or vermin; by unfortunate accidents, by entanglements in their affairs, or disappointments in their business! And how easy is it with God to increase their substance, by suitable seasons, or by health and strength; by giving them fair opportunities for promoting their interest in their dealings with men; by conducting them in his providence, so that they attain their designs; and by innumerable other ways which might be mentioned! How often is it, that only one act of providence in a man’s affairs either adds to his estate, or diminishes from it, more than he would need to give to the poor in a whole year.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

Jenni and I have chosen to rest this weekend at her parent’s place. We put some of those frequent flyer miles to work.

That’s the purpose of the resources we steward. To use them for enjoyment or sharing. Imagine how silly it would be to die with frequent flyer miles. Can’t take those to heaven.

But think about it. Most people live like they can control the host of factors surrounding their stewardship. This post reflects how little control we have.

The “thousand turns” of Providence can remove or replenish a steward’s resources in a heartbeat. Our role is to use them rightly the moment we possess them.

Some who read this have amassed wealth on earth. They say they need it to live the next 30 years. But, as my friend Michael Blue says, what about the next 30 million years?

Use what you have for giving, living, serving, and loving. God will, in one turn or a thousand, refill your cup and coffer. That’s what I am asking Him to do to mine right now.

He will. He is faithful. He can do it.

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:13-15

“Men, when they have laid up their money in their chests, do not suppose that they have thrown it away. But, on the contrary, that it is laid up safe. Much less is treasure thrown away, when it is laid up in heaven. What is laid up there is much safer than what is laid up in chests or cabinets. You cannot lay up treasure on earth, but that it is liable to be stolen, or otherwise to fail. But there no thief approaches nor moth corrupts. It is committed to God’s care, and he will keep it safely for you. And when you die, you shall receive it with infinite increase. Instead of a part of your earthly substance thus bestowed, you shall receive heavenly riches, on which you may live in the greatest fullness, honor, and happiness, to all eternity; and shall never be in want of anything. After feeding with some of your bread those who cannot recompense you, you shall be rewarded at the resurrection, and eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

Jenni and I flew to California for the weekend to spend time with her parents.

Surely, we will eat bread and more with John and Wilma Pickrell, who have spent their lives as followers of Jesus and active in their local church. They’ve made it to point to make space at their table for people.

Do we? Do we make space at our tables for those society labels as outcasts?

I had another friend call me recently. He’s had hard times and was not looking forward to the upcoming holiday season. Why? He will likely spend it alone.

Immediately I made plans to be with him on his birthday. It falls between American Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Do you know anyone who may be lonely that you could invite to your table? Can you include more charities in your giving this year rather than increasing your spending at year end?

Do this and find blessing this season and consider the reward in heaven as an added bonus.

Send out your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back. Divide your means seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth. Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

“Many persons are ready to look upon what is bestowed for charitable uses as lost. But we ought not to look upon it as lost, because it benefits those whom we ought to love as ourselves. And not only so, but it is not lost to us, if we give any credit to the Scriptures.

See the advice that Solomon gives in Ecclesiastes 11:1…By casting our bread upon the waters, Solomon means giving it to the poor, as appears by the next words, “Give a portion to seven, and also to eight.” Waters are sometimes put for people and multitudes.

What strange advice would this seem to many, to cast their bread upon the waters, which would seem to them like throwing it away! What more direct method to lose our bread, than to go and throw it into the sea? But the wise man tells us, No, it is not lost; you shall find it again after many days. It is not sunk, but you commit it to Providence.

You commit it to the winds and waves. However it will come about to you, and you shall find it again after many days. Though it should be many days first, yet you shall find it at last, at a time when you most need it. He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord. And God is not one of those who will not pay again what is lent to him…God will not only pay you again, but he will pay you with great increase.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

When I was in the Philippines, I visited a home which had a large fountain with fish in the pond. When I walked near, the fish surfaced seeking food.

I thought, “They are waiting for me to cast my bread upon the water.” They wanted me to feed them. Notice the parallel here.

When we cast what we have on those in need, plenty will return to us. It requires faith. And those who commit what they have to Providence find gain.

They discover that through the many they have served God supplies more than what they need, when they need it. What better plan for our resources.

Cast your bread upon those who surface before you, like the fish I was looking at. See what happens. Give it time. And report back.

And remember GTP in your giving. God’s opened remarkably doors to serve persecuted and underserved Christians worldwide.

In response, we launched the 100 Countries Campaign. We pray God raises up country coordinators for 100 countries. We have 35 so far.

And we are asking God for financial support from 100 countries. Last year we had gifts come from 53 countries.

To respond to demand we pray everyone steps up and entrusts what they have to Providence, casting their bread on those in need.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25

“Consider what abundant encouragement the Word of God gives, that you shall be no losers by your charity and bounty to them who are in want. As there is scarce any duty prescribed in the Word of God, which is so much insisted on as this; so there is scarce any to which there are so many promises of reward made. This virtue especially hath the promises of this life and that which is to come. If we believe the Scriptures, when a man charitably gives to his neighbor in want, the giver has the greatest advantage by it, even greater than the receiver.”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Christian Charity or The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced (1732) section III.V.

Scripture speaks clearly about the paradox of generosity. And we only figure it out as we it out. We don’t become losers by our charity but winners. We don’t end up empty, but rather enriched.

Edwards emphasizes here an important nuance of this point. God’s Word gives us “abundant encouragement” to live this way. He adds that there is “scarce any duty” as insisted as giving.

Why? It’s for our good and God’s glory. It offers promises in this life and the life to come. And it reaps more benefits to the giver than the receiver.

Regardless of where you find yourself today, as you approach this calendar year end, stretch your giving to a level of sacrifice and report back to me what happens.

I predict that the only losers will be those who fail to try.