2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (HCSB)
Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. As it is written:
He scattered;
He gave to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.
Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.
It is nearly time for the Corinthians to present their gift for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, and Paul wants to encourage them to be as generous as they had promised to be a year earlier. As the fire inspired by knowledge of the need dies down a bit, it is easy to be less generous, to start counting the cost more closely.
But Paul is reminding them of who they are actually giving to – not just people, but God’s people, and not strangers, but brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul reminds them of a rule every farmer knows well: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. This stands to reason from a purely practical standpoint. The farmer who holds back much of his seed, planting only here and there, will not have an abundant harvest. It is the farmer whose sows liberally, covering the plot with seed who will reap abundantly more than he sows.
Paul’s lesson is clear. The same God who rewards the farmers’ abundant sowing will also abundantly reward the gifts generously and cheerfully given by the Corinthians. And not just in material wealth. A generous heart is open not just to give, but to receive as well, physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
Paul also reminds the Corinthians that the money that they give for God’s purposes was provided by God in the first place; It is God’s seed that is most wisely given back to him for His purposes so that He can not only cause it to grow well, but so that He can quickly and generously replenish the giver’s stock of seed.
Father, it is sad how often, when confronted with an opportunity to give generously, we don’t first check with You to see what You want us to give, but turn to our checkbook balances or the loose change we have in our pockets or purses, and asked how much we feel that we can give. Thus, our generosity depends on us. How different it would be, and how much more we would typically give, if we looked to You, not just first, but only, to ask what You want us to give. If we did that, we could not only be assured that our gift would do its work affectively, but that You would also provide all that was needed for the gift, and even more. Help me to give as generously as You do when a need arises, Lord. Amen.