Recently there has been some upset in the world of Christian women. High profile authors and bloggers have made statements about politics, race relations, and homosexuality that others have disagreed with and which some have even called heretical. There have been some scathing posts on blogs and social media, and a lot of people have found the “unfollow” button to be quite handy. This past week, one of my friends made a statement that from now on she would be moving away from reading the words of others, and recentering her quiet time on reading the Bible. I love how she didn’t point fingers or argue for or against anyone; she just reminded us that our primary source should always be the word itself. In that spirit, I bring you this selection of Bible verses. (All references are from the New International Version)

Proverbs 11:25 – A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 22:9 – The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Malachi 3:10 –  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Matthew 10:8 – Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Luke 3:11 – Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.

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.

2 Corinthians 9:6-9 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

James 2:14-26 – What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

John 13:35 – By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Have a blessed and generous Thanksgiving, everyone!