Reaping What We Sow
Posted: 2/5/2019
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6)
God has blessed you to be a blessing to others. He expects you to exercise good stewardship in those areas where you have been blessed; whether you are blessed materially, financially, or with certain talents and abilities …”to whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48).
But sometimes our blessings can get in the way of our generosity—they can bring out the selfishness in us. If we don’t use our gifts for others, those gifts may begin to dissipate. As Christ
said, “if anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers” (John 15:6). How can we expect God to be generous to us, if we are not generous in helping to meet the needs of others?
Sowing begins in the heart. Its springs up out of love and gratitude and cannot help itself.
It’s the natural response of one who has a heart for God. The generous child of God realizes that all he has was given to him by God and is to be used for His purposes. Our tendency is to hold tightly to our blessings thinking that they were given for our benefit. We think maybe we deserve them in some way, or maybe we earned them. But in reality everything we are, and all that we have, is a gift from the Great Giver.
When it comes to giving (or sowing) we sometimes make excuses, “I can only give what I can afford”, or “I am really not that good at this”. But what we can afford or what we can do is often based on the standard of living or limitations we ourselves have established. God will provide for our needs. He asks only that we give with a joyful heart.
When God calls us out of our comfort zone, or to give beyond what we think we can afford (2 Corinthians 8:3), it’s not because He wants us to have less, but because He wants to give us more. If we hold back, we limit the harvest that comes from our sowing. But when we take God at His Word, we sow generously and reap abundantly.
The next time you are asked to give of yourself or your resources, instead of taking the safe road, dig deep from within the pockets of a grateful heart and trust God for a harvest both now and in eternity.
Heavenly Father, Help me learn to live within Your economy, not mine; to let my giving be a measure of Your generosity and resources, not mine. Amen.
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