My mother is one of the most generous people I’ve ever met in my life. It can be annoying sometimes because some people just take advantage of her generosity. But each time I question her about it, she’ll give some random bible verses about generosity so I can better understand why she’s doing it. She’ll also remind me to be generous, too, so I’ll prosper.
In this post, let’s talk about some Bible verses that encourage us to be generous (and be more motivated to give more without expecting something in return). But first, let’s discuss where in the Bible it says that being generous will make you prosper (because this is what my mother always tells me).
Where in the Bible Does It Say a Generous Person Will Prosper?
It’s in Proverbs 11:25. This verse states that:
Quick Assessment
Why does your prayer life keep falling flat?
It's usually one of four things — and each one needs a completely different strategy to break through. This 2-minute assessment tells you exactly which pattern is blocking you.
“A generous person will prosper: whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
God is generous. He loves to refresh us. If we wish to be like Him, we need to refresh those around us. But this verse doesn’t just talk about money. Rather, it talks about sacrificing your time just to volunteer to help. For instance, you can help someone, like a friend, move to a new house. You can even prepare food for a group of people who also volunteered, like at church. Or you can just sit with someone who’s grieving because someone he/she loves died.
Generosity can make someone smile. And that smile can spark joy and refreshment in you. It doesn’t matter how old you are. God provides you with gifts, skills, and talents that you can use to refresh the people around you. When you choose to let God use your gifts to help others, you can be a godly influence. You’ll be an inspiration to others.
You’ll end up inspiring yourself. Trust me, according to my mom, you’ll feel invigorated knowing that you allow God to work through you, no matter what your circumstances are.
Free Resource
Get Your FREE Prayer Guide Now
and join the Daily Way Devotional: Join 25,000+ Subscribers
But Proverbs 11:25 isn’t the only verse you can read to understand generosity. Here are other verses that talk about the importance of being generous and kind to others.
1. 1 John 3:17
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”
This verse teaches us that if we have toys, money, snacks, or any material possession, and we see a poor brother who is cold or hungry, we need to help that brother. If we only close our hearts to them, then God’s love isn’t actually living in us.
For instance, if you have extra cash and your friend asks for $50 because he wants to enroll in an online course to boost his skills, would you let him borrow such an amount? If you don’t, then you’re not really showing the love of God. Remember that our Heavenly Father is a generous giver. That’s why He also wants us to have a generous heart, like Him.
The New Testament talks about the words of the Lord Jesus about a poor widow. According to this story, rich people put big bags of money into the offering box. But this widow only had two small copper coins. Despite her being in extreme poverty, she still gave everything she had. Her widow’s offering was the biggest gift of all because she gave her only treasure with a cheerful giver spirit.
But we need to remember that being a generous person like God isn’t just about money. There are various examples of generosity that you can follow. For instance, you can share your daily food with someone you don’t know. It can be a colleague who forgot his/her lunch. You can give your cup of cold water to a worker who’s working in the heat. Furthermore, you can help your elderly neighbor with a kind of hard work, such as picking up leaves.
When we help others with physical needs, we’re showing the character of God. It’s a powerful way to show that the Holy Spirit is indeed helping us grow. Every time you doubt about helping someone, always remember that Christ Jesus gave us the indescribable gift — His life. In that case, don’t just talk about generosity and love. Instead, you should show it through good deeds. Most importantly, help others without expecting something in return.
2. 2 Corinthians 9:7
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
I was scrolling my Instagram feed, and I found a funny reel about co-workers talking about having a secret Santa when you’re already adding water to your bottle of shampoo. That reel is funny and relatable. But it also shows a severe test of affliction. It also shows that you’re living in extreme poverty. You may be annoyed by your co-workers when you feel like a poor brother yourself.
But you can still be a generous person even when you don’t have much material wealth. Even though you’re struggling yourself, you can still give from your heart. This is a perfect gift in the eyes of the Lord Almighty. For instance, you can bring in a special tea bag or a piece of fruit from your own daily food stash.
Or you can offer to take over a household chore, like cleaning their garage or backyard one afternoon. You’re still fulfilling the law of Christ as you’re helping someone carry his/her load.
Remember that God cares about the spirit of love you put into your gift and not the price tag. In the early church, people shared everything they had because of God’s grace. Thus, you can give what you can, even if it’s just your time. Doing so will still show the character of God. You’re still storing up a harvest of your righteousness.
When you care for a poor brother or a coworker when you’re struggling too, this is the true happiness that you can find in God’s word.
3. Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
This is another Secret Santa strategy when you’re low on material possessions. The verse is telling us to carry each other’s burdens. It means that when a coworker is feeling heavy-hearted or stressed, you can step in to help lift that weight. In the above example, you can share your time. But that’s not all you can do. You can also share your gift of listening. Keep in mind that sometimes, a person just needs to share the cry of the poor in their heart. Remember that listening is also a generous gift of your attention.
You can also share the gift of prayer. Ask our Heavenly Father to help your coworkers during their day of trouble. This is another powerful way to show God’s love. You may not have material things to give, but you can share your time. Focus on true happiness.
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
This is a beautiful reminder that we must never forget to do good things and share what we have. Even if you don’t have material wealth, you can still choose to share. The sacrifice in the verse doesn’t have to be huge. Again, you don’t have to give a huge amount of money to help. Remember that you can still be a generous giver if you share your knowledge with your coworker. For instance, if your coworker is struggling with Excel, you can teach him/her. It’s still good work. You’re sharing your skills.
You may also clean the desk of your co-worker, just don’t throw anything. Arranging or organizing his/her desk is also an act of generosity. You’re serving the needs of your coworkers or friends.
Furthermore, you can start sharing the gift of a smile. You don’t know what other people are struggling with or feeling right now. Your kind words or smile can help someone. It costs nothing. But it’s a powerful way of showing God’s love.
5. Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
This verse is teaching us that when we’re a generous giver, the Lord will notice it. He won’t just give back exactly what we gave. But He pours out good things until our hearts are running over.
When you use your words to help a coworker who’s having a bad day, you’re sharing the spirit of love. Helping someone achieve his/her goal is also an act of generosity. If you always give your kindness, you’ll find generosity coming back to you in friendship.
This is one of the best ways to live a generous life.
6. Luke 12:33
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near, and no moth destroys.”
This verse is telling us how we hold onto our things. Jesus wants to ensure that the material wealth we have doesn’t own us. And if your stuff is getting in the way of your relationship with God, it’s about time to sell it and donate the proceeds to the needy. After all, the earthly stuff you love so much won’t be with you when you leave this world. That’s why we should never be afraid of letting go of anything we possess just to help someone else.
For instance, if your neighbor needs financial assistance, and you have some old clothes you don’t wear, you can sell them and donate the proceeds to your neighbor. It’s also important to note here that selling your possessions also means selling your free time. Again, you can spend some time doing yard work for your neighbor who can no longer pay for someone to do it.
The verse reminds us also that if we’re willing to let go of our possessions, we’re promised eternal life.
7. Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
This verse is telling us that when you are helping your poor brother, you’re lending your money to the Lord. God is probably saying, “You did that for Me. So, I’ll pay you back with great generosity.”
We have to remember that God owns everything in this world. And my mom constantly reminds me of this every time I tend to be greedy. This is especially true when I see a poor person on the street. I’ll always tell her not to give in because that person might be a part of a syndicate. But she’ll just retort that it doesn’t matter. God will always reward us for our generous heart and not the other person’s intention or honesty.
God always sees our kindness. Even if that person is in disguise, your act of generosity is real. And God sees it and will reward you.
My pastor friend also tells me that if I’m worried about how the money is spent, I can just donate clothes or give that person something that he/she needs directly. On the other hand, you can give your financial contributions to a shelter that knows the best ways to help people get off the streets.
You can also keep a blessing bag in your car with some water and a granola bar. Each time someone needs food or water, you can just hand it to that person. Most of all, treat these people like human beings. They’re not different than us. We’re the same human beings that God has created. Thus, we must treat them with kindness.
We must also remember that Jesus came into this Earth poor so we could have eternal life. When we help them be empowered, we’re acting like little children of God. It doesn’t matter whether those people are truly in need or in disguise. Your kindness is a loan to God. He sees your heart. And He always keeps His promises.
“Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”
This verse is easy to understand. It’s like what you do to others will be done unto you.
If we shut our ears when someone needs our help, then one day, when we’re the ones crying for help, no one will rescue us. It’s a Golden Rule. How we listen to others is how God and others will listen to us.
It’s important to note that shutting your ears doesn’t only mean putting your hands over your ears. It also means that if you see someone who’s hurting but you decide to ignore or pretend he/she isn’t there is the same as shutting your ears. We must always remember that when you help a poor brother or sister, you’re actually helping God.
With the ongoing economic crisis, not all of us can give a lot. However, we must remind ourselves that no matter how much we can give to our poor brothers and sisters, God sees it. We’re helping Him. And He’ll reward us.
You can give what you can. It can be a dollar or $20. It doesn’t matter. If it comes from your heart, it’s still an act of generosity. You’re showing God your generous heart.
9. Proverbs 28:27
“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
In simple terms, when you give to the poor, you’ll always have something. It may not be material things, but you’ll have what you need to live well. It can include peace of mind and contentment. The verse is telling us that when we provide compassionately to those who are truly in need, God ensures that we’re sustained in various ways.
Now, if we close our eyes, we’re not just ignoring the poor, but we’re deliberately neglecting them. We’re neglecting God in this sense. We consciously decide to ignore their suffering as we prioritize our self-interest. And the curse in this verse means the natural consequences. Again, if you ignore those who are in need, and the time comes when you will be in the same position as they are now, you’ll also be ignored.
You may be afraid of giving because you’ll have less soon. But the verse comforts us that generosity leads to sufficiency. The more you give, the more you receive, as the saying goes. Selfishness always leads to loss. Just look at those rich people who ignore the poor. Soon, they will lose everything. It might not be their money, but they’d lose their family and the people they love.
Ultimately, this verse teaches us that when we live a life full of compassion and kindnesss will lead to more blessings. But if we ignore those who cry for our help, then we’re just inviting negative consequences. That’s because when you ignore those who are in need, you’re ignoring God.
Be Generous Always
You don’t need to be rich to be generous to others. It doesn’t matter how much you give. What matters most is the spirit of love inside you. God sees your kindness. And these Bible verses about generosity prove that by helping a poor brother or a sister, we’re showing God’s character. No matter what our situation is, we can still give the perfect gift of kindness. That’s the best way to live our lives.
Jane is a Roman Catholic on a journey of re-learning about God and deepening her understanding of the Bible. She has over a decade of experience as a copywriter. Her goal is to blend her passion for writing with her spiritual journey. She writes content that doesn’t just uplift but also connects with people who wish to seek a deeper understanding of God’s word. Follow Jane on LinkedIn or Instagram.
