You Reap What You Sow - April 16

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully…

Reflect

How many different applications of the sowing and reaping principle can you think of?

I planted a garden this year for the first time. Before I planted, I had to decide how much to plant based on how much I thought I would need. But I didn’t really know what we’d need or how much each plant would actually give us. Just today, I dug up my first crop of potatoes. It was a decent harvest for a first try. But I’m already thinking about next year.

The sowing and reaping principle is very simple to understand, isn’t it? The more seed potatoes I plant in the garden, the more potato plants will sprout, and the more potatoes I will harvest. It’s very basic. And yet, there are so many applications for this principle.

For example the sowing and reaping principle applies to our behavior. The friendlier we are to others, the more friends we tend to have. The more giving we are to others, the more people are willing to give to us. On the other hand, if you hit your friends when they make you mad, don’t be surprised if they hit you back. And of course, obedience to their parents reaps blessings, but disobedience reaps consequences. You always reap what you sow!

In Galatians 6:7, Paul used a spiritual application for sowing and reaping. He wrote: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” If you live your life pursuing your evil fleshly desires, you’ll reap spiritual corruption as your soul decays and rots. But if you live your life walking in the Spirit and pursuing the things of the Spirit, your soul will reap a glorious, everlasting life.

In today’s verse, Paul used the sowing and reaping illustration to explain gracious giving. The more we give away, the more we actually gain. The notes in my MacArthur study Bible point out: “When a generous believer gives by faith and trust in God, with a desire to produce the greatest possible blessing, that person will receive a kind of harvest of blessing. God gives a return on the amount one invests with Him. Invest a little, receive a little, and vice versa.”

Proverbs 11:24-25 corroborates this principle: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” In other words, sow more, reap more!

Now, I want to warn you. This is not the prosperity gospel. I am not suggesting that you give in order to get more worldly possessions and I am in no way guaranteeing personal wealth whenever you drop money in the offering plate at church or give to a good cause. Not only is that a very selfish motivation for living generously, it is simply a false teaching. There are many people who follow Jesus and live exceptionally generous lives who are not wealthy by most standards. And yet, they are content and cheerful givers. We need to remember, not all rewards are earthly and not all gains are financial.

We sow generously because God is allowing us the opportunity to contribute to building His Kingdom. We don’t give with selfish or worldly motivations in mind. We give with His kingdom in mind. Still, we trust His promise that if we sow bountifully, we’ll reap bountifully in this world or in the next.

Respond

Lord, I know that I will reap according to what I sow. I want to sow seeds of righteousness and generosity, following Your example in the way I live my life and use the resources that You’ve given me. Help me to sow bountifully. Not for my own benefit but the benefit of others, and ultimately, for the benefit of Your Kingdom. Amen. 

Reveal

Be intentional to sow generously today.