“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 9:11)
Think how ridiculous it would be for an electric company to generate power and then hoard it. Their customers would be in the dark, and the company would be out of business in short order! The same principle applies to our finances. “God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others … You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous” (vv. 7-8, 11).
Some people refuse to give because they’re greedy, but in most instances, that’s not so. The truth is, we’re concerned that if we don’t look out for our own interests, they might not get looked out for at all. But that kind of thinking doesn’t make sense. That’s like a farmer refusing to plant his next harvest because he is afraid to let go of his seeds.
The Bible says, “Honor the LORD by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops” (Proverbs 3:9). Is that because He is poor and He needs it? No! He wants us to sow into His kingdom so that:
- His work and His will can be done on the earth, and
- you will have a harvest when you need it.
Jesus said when you “put God’s work first and do what he wants … the other things will be yours as well” (Matthew 6:33). When you become a conduit for God’s kingdom, “you will be blessed in every way”. In fact, when you consider your finances from a biblical perspective, the thing to fear isn’t giving away too much — it’s sowing too little!
Prayer
Lord, teach me to sow so that Your Word, Your love, and Your grace will be known by everone who hears! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
