The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. – Proverbs 11:25
The words in the first part of this verse do not have the same meaning in today’s vernacular. According to Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, “liberal” means “of a free heart, generous, not selfish.” “Fat” means “flourishing, abounding in spiritual grace and comfort.” In other words, those who are generous will also flourish and abound spiritually.
However, I want to focus on the second part of the verse: …he that watereth shall be watered also himself. This verse often puzzled me—I had difficulty understanding it for a long time. Then, I heard a sermon based on this verse that helped me grasp this concept even more. (That’s what preaching does!)
God has established the laws of nature, and selfishness has nothing to do with them. Think about natural springs of water. They are fed from the ground. The springs feed the streams; the streams feed the rivers; and the rivers feed the oceans, lakes, and ponds.
While I am not a science geek, I do understand the concept of the precipitation process. Water evaporates from our oceans, lakes, and ponds into the air. Clouds are then formed, and when they become too heavy with precipitation, they release water back into those streams, rivers, and oceans. The oceans do not decide when to give back to the atmosphere to form clouds. The clouds do not decide when to give back to the oceans and streams. It is in their nature! …he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Consider our human bodies and how our organs operate. Blood flows through the heart to nourish the brain, lungs, kidneys, and liver. The organs all work together for the good of the whole body. …he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
This principle is found throughout Scripture: the way to get is to give. It is the rule of sowing and reaping. The humble shall be exalted. The way to have more is to give away what you have.
Some of the most miserable people in the world are those who have much to offer but refuse to give it away. While the story of Ebenezer Scrooge is fictional, it makes the same point. He had the means to help many people yet refused to give anything away. Only when he decided to be generous with his wealth was he truly fulfilled in life.
What do we have that would benefit someone else? We may think we do not have anything to offer, but God has given each of us something to give. He did not create us without a purpose, and that purpose is to give ourselves away. Whether we have a 5,000-gallon tank or a small water pot, we each have something to give. The way to have more to give is to give away what we do have. We should not be a holding tank for God’s blessings—He needs us to be conduits for Him.
I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Jack Hyles preach. Several times, I saw him deliver his “silent sermon.” During his message, he would kneel and lift his arms toward Heaven, as if he were asking God for something. Then, he would walk to the other side of the platform and mimic giving it to someone. He repeated these motions over and over, illustrating the point that the blessings he received from God, he, in turn, gave away to others.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
I do not know what God has given you, but I do know why He gave it to you. Do not be selfish with what God has given you. Do not come to church just to get; rather, come to give. Find someone to whom you can give yourself away. Selfishness runs rampant in today’s society. Everyone wants “what is mine” instead of looking for what others need and finding a way to fulfill that need.
Jesus is our ultimate example in this. He did not come to Earth to see what He could take from people. He came literally to give Himself away. Because of His sacrifice, we can have a home in Heaven.
In Luke 6:38, Jesus said, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Who in your life can you “water” today?
by Erin Montgomery
