Walking the grounds of a 19th Century sculptor, I know I should be more enamored with his large bronze statues. But on this repeat visit, my eyes are drawn to the abundant vines that hang from overhead trellises on the porches of both his house and his studio. If I lived here, these would be a constant reminder of the abundance of God’s generosity.
I’m soon lost in the fun of framing up isolated squares of vine like a living assemblage (art presented in a box). Lit from behind, they are pictures illuminating God’s joy in giving and ours in receiving.
God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7) because he is one. Take, for instance, just his open-handedness with grace:
He gives grace abundantly, seasonably, constantly, readily, sovereignly; the value of the blessings is doubled by the manner in which it is given. Charles Spurgeon
Matthew Henry, the great 17th Century Bible commentator, sees God’s magnanimity being restricted only by the bottleneck of our own expectations:
See what a generous benefactor our Lord Jesus is, above all benefactors; he gives liberally, and is so far from upbraiding us with the frequency and largeness of his gifts that he rather upbraids us with the seldomness and straightness of our requests: "You have asked nothing in comparison of what you want, and what I have to give, and have promised to give."
One key promised gift is wisdom.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5
More specifically, some Bible scholars see this as interpersonal wisdom, connecting this verse to the famous “ask-seek-knock” teaching in Matt. 7:7. In the preceding verses in that chapter, Jesus teaches his followers how interact with others – not judging, being aware of their wooden tendency to overlook their own flaws, being circumspect over who they correct.
Then he instructs them to ask and keep asking.
Persistent prayer for wisdom is needed because living in community in this fallen world is hard. I’m currently experiencing this struggle myself and finding it very tricky to navigate. The gap between the heavenly ideal and the earthly reality seems huge.
Jesus (echoed by his brother, James) comforts us with the generosity of his Father. God gives us bread, not stones. He gives without finding fault. He desires us to have the wisdom we need to work through conflicts and display his love to a broken world.
Display. Like a work of art. Like a living stained-glass window.
A picture of a God whose generosity vastly exceeds our capacity to ask.
Heavenly Father, how abundantly you give. And though our relational conflicts can often feel unsolvable, remind us to ask you for wisdom. For you have promised to give abundantly.
Reader: What relational wisdom do you need from our generous God today?
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