6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 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 having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
This year, I pray that we will sow bountifully in every area of our lives. Not sparingly, reluctantly, or begrudgingly, but willingly, bountifully, and cheerfully.
When Paul said, "God did not spare his only Son," he meant God did not hold him back. He shared him. To give sparingly is to give from a heart that is holding back. Our giving should rest upon the truth that God is a bountifully blessing God, and our gift, in turn, should be a bountiful blessing to others.
Giving bountifully means giving from a heart that wants to share things. Something has transformed the desire to acquire and keep as much as possible to give instead and share as much as possible. That "something" that happened in our hearts is nothing less than the intervening grace of God.
The sparing heart has a relationship with God that sees him as a taker rather than a giver. In contrast, the bountiful heart has a relationship with God that sees him as a giver rather than a taker. How do you see God?
We will discover a bountiful harvest in multiple ways when we sow bountifully.
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Increased ability to be generous (vs. 11) - The more you give, the more you will be able to give.
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More Thanksgiving (vs. 11, 13) - God gets the glory because of our generosity and obedience to the gospel.
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Joy in seeing God move (vs. 12) - sowing to meet the needs of the saints and the world's needs.
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Increased love (vs. 14) - The people who benefit from your sowing "long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you."
As we begin this new year, I pray that we sow bountifully for the glory of God in every area of our lives. Scattering the gospel seed freely and generously as we meet the needs of people around us. "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources.” God gives the seed so we can scatter it abroad and increase the harvest of righteousness.
How will your sowing change this year?