Tuesday Devotional January 7, 2020
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (ESV)
In the preceding verse the Apostle Paul alludes to gifts that the believers in Corinth had already promised to give. These were not gifts that were to be exacted by the Apostles upon those at Corinth, but rather these were “free will” offerings that the believers at Corinth had already promised. The Apostle Paul was communicating a principle here which is simply stated that “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV).
To be ultra clear, this is not a magic formula that if you do this you get that. I think it is often misused to increase financial gifts in error by those who simply seek to enrich themselves. However, just as some carry it too far in the direction of money multiplication, it would be equally erroneous to deny the truth herein. What you get out of your Christian walk is directly proportional to what you put in. You can skate by on the grace of God, but why would you want to? God loves a cheerful giver, and if you give reluctantly it is my belief that God does not desire that gift, because it is not really a gift if you give with reluctance or out of obligation.
Sadly, seed principle giving has been twisted from the cheerful giver who gives prayerfully and according to their means, to begrudging, guilt ridden giving, or giving that is born out of greed in that the giving comes out of a desire for what is expected to be multiplied in return. Both are wrong attitudes. The focus on giving is on the gift; it is not a gift if you expect a return. Not that there is anything wrong with a return, but does this promise that the return is always financial? No, it does not. It promises that if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, but if you sow bountifully you will reap bountifully. I know for a fact that sometimes the most bountiful harvest is in fact the joy we get from giving. So I encourage you all to give prayerfully, with consideration and according to your means. You will never ever out give God, period. I will share a verse that illustrates this point.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
(Malachi 3:10 ESV)
You cannot outgive God, period. If you want to see bountiful harvests then sow bountifully, but do so as a cheerful giver who leaves the return harvest in the hands of the Almighty God. Besides God will always bless us better in every way than we could ever hope to.
Father, I pray that the praise of the Lord will always be in our hearts, and upon our lips. May we bring glory and honor to You always, in everything we do. Lord, help us to give with the right attitude, and with good and pure motivations. Let us sow in abundance, expecting a return but not forgetting that it is You that is the Sovereign God, and not us. Let us leave the return to You, and the harvest in Your hands. We will surely be busy enough with the giving if it is done with joy and cheer, that we can leave the harvest in Your hands where it belongs until You entrust it to us. Bless all who read, hear, and share these posts. I ask these things in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen!
Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Christopher B. Cain
Minister of Evangelism and Discipleship
Alive Ministries USA
