Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed…
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
There are promises for those who prioritize giving to the work of God’s kingdom. But before we look at today’s passage, let’s examine what scripture tells us about money and the pursuit of wealth:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:15-17
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Matthew 6:24
Although some may try, we simply cannot serve money, power, position, and the seemingly endless pursuit of personal pleasure and serve God simultaneously. We are not to focus on or build our lives around material wealth. We are to put Christ at the center of everything that we do and serve Him alone. If we make the pursuit of wealth the priority in our lives, we prove ourselves to be strangers to the things of God and we miss out on the blessings that come from serving Him.
Today’s focus is on the sowing and reaping principle. First, we need to understand that the theme in which this passage is written is the use of money. Paul reminds us that we reap proportionately to the way we sow. If we never share the gospel, we should not expect to lead anyone to Christ. If we never give toward the work of the church, we should not expect to reap the blessings that come with sacrificial giving. The two go hand in hand. The way in which we use our money will affect the direction in which our lives tend to go. Consider some other instruction pointing to a connection between sowing and reaping:
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.
Luke 6:37-38b
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matthew 6:14-15
So the way in which we live greatly affects our spiritual lives and acts as a steering mechanism in determining the direction in which we go. And so it is with money. When we make the pursuit of money our god, we forfeit the blessings of God. But when we live with Christ as the head of our lives, we can expect to see His power at work. This will often frustrate and confuse the world but the power of God will be on full display in a life that is fully yielded to Him.
Paul instructs us in the way in which we should give. He says, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion.” We must determine in our own heart what we will give back to God. This determination should be done freely, voluntarily, and not grudgingly. When we give with clinched fists and a bad attitude, we again, forfeit the blessing that is ours. Also, our determination is to be decided free from compulsion. This means that we are not to feel forced into a decision. When we give, our giving is strictly a matter between God and ourselves. But freely giving, without the presence of wrong motives and compulsion, yields many blessings. And God takes pleasure when His people freely give out of a heart of love for others.
And what are the promises for those who freely give?
- God is able to make all grace abound to you
The Bible is not short of words that refer to increase, abundant supply, and overflow. The promises of God are mighty and powerful and He is able to meet us in each and every situation with an abundant supply of whatever we need for that occasion. This promise is that God will make “all grace abound” to us who believe and freely give. For those who have determined in their hearts to serve God alone, they will experience the grace of God in abundant measure.
- You will have all sufficiency in everything
The next promise is that we will have sufficient supply in everything. God will make sure that those who belong to Him have everything they need. Often, we might find ourselves being pulled by the world’s philosophy regarding money. When this happens, we might tend to worry about whether or not God will supply what we require. But when we stand on the promises of God, we find that, indeed, He does supply us so that we have all that we need.
- You will have an abundance for every good deed
Again, we see the word “abundance.” When God gives, He does so to overflowing. This is so that those around us will also be affected by the amazing power of God in our lives. This abundance gives us the freedom to give and to do so generously. How tragic it is to see people desperately clinging to what they have worked for, not willing to let go of any of it. This usually comes out of a heart that either does not know God or doesn’t trust Him enough to surrender their finances over to Him. God owns it all and what we have is simply on loan to us for a period of time on this earth. When we operate out of that mindset, we begin to understand the awesome power of God to supply those who belong to Him.
Apply the sowing and reaping principle of giving to your own life? How does your attitude toward giving stack up against the truth of scripture? Have you surrendered your bank account to the One who can supply you with every good thing? Why not talk to Him today about what adjustments you need to make in this area of your life!
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