Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed for sowing
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
2 Corinthians 9:10
In second Corinthians chapter nine, Paul, the author and apostle, encourages the believers to give to others.
He encourages the early churches in the New Testament times to give generously from a cheerful heart.
As we read these words, God meant them for you and me as much as He intended them for the churches then.
Paul encourages believers to give by first reinforcing the concept that God supplies the seed to those who sow. He adds to this the promise that God will multiply our seed for sowing or giving.
Do we trust God enough with our finances to give generously, knowing He will indeed provide for us as we give with grateful hearts?
As we learn to give with loving hearts, we desire less for ourselves and long to see others’ needs met. This gift of giving does not come naturally unless we ask the LORD to help us think less of ourselves and more about others. It takes grace since we are all naturally selfish. We need to seek God to help us have the grace to give generously.
The result of giving is hearts that are satisfied with doing things for God’s increase. We sow unto righteousness, meaning we plant seeds of generosity to honour our LORD and to help others. This is sowing for “God’s Kingdom” versus sowing for self.
It is surely not wrong to enjoy the blessings God has given us as long as we have not forgotten to give alongside of this. God’s kingdom should come first, though. We are not to be “kings” unto ourselves.
It seems as we put ourselves after God’s Kingdom; we grow more generous with time. Grateful hearts want to give because God gave so much to us to begin with. We give with thankfulness overflowing. We sow seeds of compassion, kindness, mercy and giving our finances to those in need.
There are so many living in poverty spiritually, physically, and financially. There are so many causes we can give to. A true church is a giving church. Perhaps we could say the same for individuals?
Sometimes I have wondered what would have happened if everyone with the resources to give, gave. Would there even be poverty? I know that is not realistic because those who don’t believe may or may not long to give. And Jesus said we would always have the poor among us. (John 12:8) That, however, does not give us permission not to give. Jesus is simply saying, in this broken and sin-filled world, there will always be poverty. There are scads of Bible Verses that instruct us to give to the poor just do a google search.
So our take away for today should be we are not to live for ourselves but for the glory of God in our giving and secondly we live to share with and give to others.
As we trust God, who supplies the seed and bread, may we also trust Him to multiply our seed for sowing or our gifts for giving? This leads to increased righteousness, in fact, a harvest.
Righteousness simply means the quality of goodness, virtue, uprightness, decency, integrity, given by God’s grace as we ask in prayer. As Christians Christ who is righteous makes believers righteous, as we believe in Him, He makes us so.
Are you in for that kind of harvest?
Shall we together pray all the more for this harvest?
And may it be that we don’t trumpet it across the land, but go quietly about this work of giving.
I believe contentment lies in giving first to God’s Kingdom. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
The harvest is here.