Pressing the Refresh Button

Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:24-25, NLT)

Many of us have come to understand that the refresh button on our computer allows a static (i.e. showing little or no change or movement) page to update information that has changed.

Refresh means to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc., to stimulate (the memory), reinvigorate, cheer, or freshen in appearance, color, etc. The word translated refresh in this Scripture is the Hebrew word ravah, which means: to soak or water (abundantly).

Far too often when we are feeling drained, tired, dry, or exhausted our response is to do something that often makes matters worse. Reverting to actions such as eating far too much, sitting in front of a television or computer screen far too long, or hanging out with people who are far too far from God can only lead us to feeling more exhausted spiritually and emotionally.

This Scripture informs us that we can press the refresh button on our spirit and soul (mind, emotion, and will power) if we would choose to not be self-centered but instead experience new vigor or energy by bringing reinvigoration and cheer to others.

Maybe this is the week for you to take time to send a card, an email, a text, or an old-fashioned telephone call to someone for whom the pages life have grown static. These are folks where there’s been little or no change in their lives. Daily they are trudging through the monotony of raising children, a boring or dead end job, constant financial pressures, academic stress, the list goes on…

And though some of us may say that the situations just described sound more like our own lives, this Scripture indicates that our actions can have restorative powers not only in the lives of those to whom we decide to extend God’s generosity, but in our own lives in the process.