A Life Marked by Generosity (2 Samuel 19:32)
Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.
—2 Samuel 19:32
I want to introduce you to someone in the Bible whom I guess you know very little, if anything, about. His name is Barzillai, and he is mentioned in 2 Samuel 19:32. Barzillai was known for providing for David’s household. When the rebellion against King David ended, Barzillai went with David and his people to the shore of the Jordan River. They were about to cross back into Judah on their way to Jerusalem, and at that time, he was eighty years old. David invited Barzillai to return to Jerusalem with him so that he could repay his kindness and care for his needs.
2 Samuel 19:32 shows the beauty of using our resources for God’s kingdom.
The picture we have of Barzillai is of a man with a reputation for loyalty to God, loyalty to the king, and kindness, hospitality, provision, and care for those around him. He used his wealth and influence for the benefit of others. In this way, he offers us a great, practically unknown picture in the Old Testament—a picture of loyalty, generosity, kindness, and devotion to God and his people.
When I read this story of Barzillai, I think about the body of Christ around the world. It is made up of individuals whose names very few people will ever know, but who display loyalty to God and generosity toward people—specifically, those with resources who, behind the scenes, use those resources to provide for those in need, build up the people of God, and spread the gospel. This serves as an encouragement for all of us: it is not about having a particular name or being known for this or that. Rather, today is about all of us faithfully using the resources God has given us to glorify him, build up others, and show kindness, all ultimately for God’s purpose, the strengthening of his church, and the spread of his glory in the world.
2 Samuel 19:32 illustrates humble service that points others to Jesus.
So we pray based on 2 Samuel 19:32 and this picture of Barzillai: God, help each one of us today to be faithful in the small things and in the big opportunities you may give us. In everything, help us not to care about our own names. Help us to faithfully follow you today, to live with loyalty to you, to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us care for those around us and build up your church—the people of God with whom you have placed us in community. God, help us to care for and build up your church with generosity, hospitality, and kindness.
We pray that you would use each of us to make your glory known in the world today. In all the different places where we will go and with the different people we will interact with, God, we pray that you would use us to point them to you. In a John 3:30 kind of way, may we all become less today, and may you become greater through our lives.
A Prayer for the Northern Pashtun People
God, yesterday we prayed for the Southern Pashtun of Afghanistan. Today, we pray for the Northern Pashtun of Afghanistan—almost three million of them. God, we pray that you would use the resources you have entrusted to us. Help us use the wealth and opportunities you have given us to make your grace and glory known among all the nations. Help the people of Afghanistan and the Pashtun to know your name.
God, just as Barzillai played his part—a significant part—in 2 Samuel 19:32, we pray that each of us would play the significant part you have invited us to play in the spread of your glory among all the nations. We pray that your grace toward us would have a great effect for your glory through us in this world, in both small things and big things. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
