2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
2 Corinthians 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
This week Team Swap veers dramatically from our recent cycling topics, and returns to a straight ahead study of some Biblical Scripture. Now we know that almost everyone has read, heard about, or studied the above scriptures sometime in your life, so we are not going to insult you and review things that you already know. However, we are going to try and help you remember a few things that may have slipped from the front to the back of your mind over time. Many times our walk with God is not failing because of what we do not know, but because we are failing to do what we already know is right.
Of course the overall lesson in the above scripture is that people that sow generously, not out of guilt or perceived obligation but out of a true burden in their heart, will be rewarded with a large amount of grace. The real lesson to learn though is not about the heart of the giver though, it is about the nature of God.
Sure the giver, or sower, is giving out of the possession / wealth / time / abilities, but the real secret is the source of their supply, and how that source is constantly replenished and replaced. Obviously it requires faith to sow, but the promise found in second Corinthians chapter nine is that once a believer begins giving (this does not just mean financially) that God will not just bless that person, the sower, with grace, but will also replenish the sower’s supply, and provide a means for the sower to continue their work in the future. This allows the sower to both be blessed and to be used in the future, and also allows God to be acknowledged as both the source of the current gifts, but the future ones as well. This also allows both the sower and the one receiving the fruit of their work / labor to be blessed, and to be thankful to God. God’s promise is not to supply the sower with just enough to continue at the same level of sowing, but to provide the ability where greater work can both continue and be possible in the future.
The key to that promise is found at the end of verse 8 - “so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work “ and also in verse 10 and 11- “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” - . God is promising all that sow (i.e - give, sacrifice and labor) for Him will have all they need to complete all the work for which they are called. That means if a person gives a lot, their stock will be replenished greatly where they will always have a supply to continue to give. In contrast that also means a person that is slow or hesitant to give they will only have a small amount replenished as their supply is not being depleted as rapidly or as drastically. This lack of sowing produces only limited opportunities for both the worker and for God to be blessed.
Now let’s us be sure that we understand that sowing may not be the redistribution of a sowers finances, it can be the giving of goods from our surplus or excess, giving of our time to help others, or even the giving of advice and guidance to those that are in need via teaching and ministry. Remember though to sow requires more sacrifice. If the sowing does not hurt a bit then you are probably not giving that much. A life full of sowing is not comprised of a life of ease and inaction, it is composed of a life of doling out a combination of your finances, energy, time, commitments, priorities, and lifestyle to the things and people for which you are called. Sowing could even possibly mean giving your very life for those that are in need.
The wonderful thing is God has more then enough to completely resupply and re-equip you as you give. His supplies are endless, and He will not run low or out of what you or I need. His call is for us to give where He can both reward us via grace and mercy, and where He receives the glory for both our work done in His name, and the work He has done in the past of all of creation. Since a short coming of supplies would reflect badly on Him, He will never allow His people to be lacking in supplies, abilities, and equipment. He is not about to allow His name to be tarnished or His people to suffer because of a lack of seed (i.e. supplies, funds, etc)
The life of a sower is one of consistent, and most likely constant, sacrifice and work. If you are only sowing / giving when it is easy and convenient then you are really not sowing, you are merely acting like a sower at times. It is no different then a actor playing a famous person on stage, in a movie, or on TV, they do not become that person, they merely mirror the actions, words, and activities of that person. A person that sows only when it is convenient, easy or when they feel guilty, is not giving out of a heart call, but out of a desire to look like a sower. Like all things of God the best way to judge the heart of the individual is to view the fruit their life is producing. If the fruit is sparse then they are not a generous sower.
As you pray about having a heart of a sower, remember God may reward you in ways that you have not expected. You may give financially, but be rewarded emotionally. God’s promise is not a dollar for a dollar, or a minute longer in life for every minute you serve. God’s promise is that you will always be blessed and be able to give if you have a heart of a sower. If you choose not to sow generously you will not be kicked out of heaven, or left by God, you will simply not be blessed in the same ways that a sower is. Pray and let God direct your heart about your sowing habits, maybe your habits are already sufficient and exactly what God wants for you, or maybe you need to adjust them a bit to be in tune with God and His path for your life. Either way, God is waiting to guide, direct and bless your life today.
