在紐約愛因斯坦醫學院，禮堂裡坐滿了醫學生，大家都專注聆聽高齡90歲的露絲．高茲曼博士（Ruth Gottesman）的演講。在結束演講時，高茲曼宣布了一個好消息，令全場學生驚嘆和歡呼，現場一片沸騰。她宣布將捐贈十億美元，讓學生們能夠免學費完成學業。這是美國醫學院有史以來獲得的最大筆捐款。然而，在隨後的訪談中，人們會以為高茲曼才是那位獲得贈與的人，她表示能夠捐贈金錢，讓她感到無比的喜樂、愉快與榮幸。

箴言告訴我們，這就是慷慨所帶來的效果。「慷慨好施」的人，並不會有所缺乏或失去些什麼，反倒會獲得出乎意料的祝福（11章24節，新譯本）。當我們對人施予援手的時候，我們得到更多，而不是更少。第25節說：「施惠於人的，自己也必蒙施惠」（新譯本）。我們經常想抓緊自己所擁有的一切，害怕自己會吃虧或最後一無所有。但是，上帝的經濟體系是以截然不同的方式運作。耶穌更進一步說：「施比受更為有福。」（使徒行傳20章35節）

我們可以慷慨地使用自己的生命與資源，將自己所擁有的分享給需要的人。接著，我們會發現自己也同樣蒙福。在上帝的國度裡，每個人都能得到豐盛的恩典。

An auditorium full of medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine listened intently as ninety-year-old Ruth Gottesman spoke. As she concluded, Ruth announced—to the students’ gasps, cheers, and pandemonium—that she was donating $1 billion so they could finish their education tuition free. This is the largest donation ever given to a medical school. Yet in the interviews that followed, you would have thought that Gottesman was the one receiving the gift. She expressed joy, delight, and honor to be able to give her money away.

Proverbs tells us that this is how generosity works. The one who “gives freely,” far from being left diminished or bereft, finds blessings they hadn’t anticipated (11:24). When we open our hands to others, we’re left with something more—not less. “Whoever refreshes,” Scripture says, “will be refreshed” (v. 25). We’re often tempted to tightly grip whatever we have, fearful that we’ll be taken advantage of or left with nothing. God’s economy works differently, however. Jesus went a step further, stating that it’s “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

We can be generous with our lives and our resources, offering what we have to others in need. And then, in return, we’ll find that we end up receiving too. There’s plenty for everyone in God’s kingdom.