Many seek the favor of the generous, and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.

Proverbs 19:6

This Proverb might go in two directions. It makes me think of:

A. “I’ve got all the friends that money can buy” (Not an overly positive statement)

and

B. “What goes around comes around.” (Something I can work with)

The writer of Proverbs observed that “Many people seek the favor of the generous.” That statement of how life seems to go smacks of phrase A. above. We don’t want to feel that our so-called friends are just there for what we give them.

But then, on the other hand, many people are touched by and attracted to truly generous people. Phrase B, “Everyone is a friend to the giver of gifts” sums up how people who act nicely are often treated nicely in return.

So, what do we do? I guess we could be stingy and ugly to the people we meet so that there is no chance that they are being our friend for what they might get. (Not great way to show live the love of Christ in our lives.)

Or we can act in a generous fashion toward all those we meet, and hopefully God’s love offered in a Christian spirit will be returned in like manner.

Prayer

Dear God, give me the mind and heart of Christ so that my loving treatment of others will be a reflection of my love for You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.