Making Room for Yourself

By Bishop Keith A. Butler

A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
Proverbs 18:16

Did you know that you can make room for yourself? The Bible says you can.

First of all, notice the text: "A man's gift maketh room for him, AND bringeth him before great men." The word "and" means also, so this verse is saying two things. Number one, it's saying that your gift will make room for you. And, number two, it's saying that you'll be brought before great men because of your gift.

So we see that two things happen because of the gift. But I want you to notice, first of all, that the gift maketh. ?Maketh' simply means causes, implying that there's an action taking place.

Often I've heard people quote this verse and say it means something that it doesn't really mean. I've even heard preachers wrongly teach this verse. You see, most people talk about this verse with regards to talent. Essentially, what they say is that if you're talented or have some gift or anointing, then eventually your place will be made for you, and people of great means will get to hear you or partake of your gift.

But that isn't what this verse is talking about at all! In fact, when you look this Scripture up in the original Hebrew, you'll find out different things. First of all, you'll discover that the writer is referring to financial things. In fact, when you look it up, you will find that in the Middle East - and the Bible is an Eastern book -it was customary for a man to bring a gift to an individual in order to be heard by that person. You had to present a gift before anyone would even discuss business with you.

Of course, we don't have that tradition here in the West, but the Bible says that a man's gift makes room for him, and we, no matter where we are, have to understand what that means, because it's a Bible truth.

The Hebrew word translated ?gift' in Proverbs 18:16 means a present. And the word ?room' means to broaden. So, in other words, we could read that verse like this: "A man's present will broaden, cause expansion, or create opportunity for him. And, on top of all that, a man's present will bring him before great men."

I like the way the New International Version translates Proverbs 18:16. It may make it easier to understand the meaning of the verse.

A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

The idea of a gift making room for you is not something new. God was the very first One to act upon this law. The Bible says, "For God so lived the world,that he GAVE..." And throughout Scripture we see what the preeminent gift of God is: salvation through Jesus Christ!

Prayer for Today

Father,
Thank You for the best gift of all: Jesus Christ. Your gift opened our heart to You and created the opportunity for You to receive many sons. As we do our job---witnessing to the lost, you will receive more daily. Your gift makes room! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Selah: Think on These Things

• Romans 8:29
• John 3:16