The law of sowing and
reaping is well established in scriptural teaching. It applies to each one of
us and is an apt reminder that not only we reap what we sow, but as we are
taught here, we also reap mainly to the degree and proportion to which we sow. This
principle is readily seen in the natural. Given proper conditions, if we sow
wheat, we will reap a wheat crop; and the size of the crop, will largely depend
on how much wheat we sowed in the first place. Whilst it all seems logical and
obvious in the physical application, we sometimes tend to miss the value of
this concept, and its application in other areas of life. What we ‘sow’ by our
actions and deeds, and how much we ‘sow’ - in the form of giving of ourselves, our
time, attention or talent, can also greatly affect what, and how much we reap
in the course of life . In the context of the passage, service in work of God
and the giving unto the Lord for God’s work and the needs of His people, should
not be done stingily! Self-control and frugality are great qualities when
applied to the management of our personal expenditures or the management of our
family funds and resources. In serving God however, and particularly in our
giving unto the Lord, the biblical recommendation is to do so liberally,
cheerfully and with all our hearts. Unlike our wheat crop example, above
however, Christian giving should not be motivated by what we might receive in
return. That aspect should be left to the Lord’s better judgement, and often if
we give from a pure heart, we receive truly ‘good measure, pressed down, shaken
together and running over’ from the hand of the Lord. We already know from
scripture that the rewards of heaven far outweigh anything we could possibly
receive on earth anyway, so we are not likely to ever ‘out-give’ the Lord! This
kind of giving is more like the quality and nature of God’s giving to us, the
example of which, we see all around us and in everything He has created so
freely for our benefit both now and in the future. Some spend a lifetime
struggling over the measly ‘pennies’ of their giving and finding nothing but
stress, insecurity and loss in the effort of ‘holding onto’ what they have. Others
have found the joy of giving, truly exceeds that of receiving, and regularly,
freely and willingly give all they can in time, money and effort, to benefit
others. It is true that we can be takers or givers, and that givers are the
happiest and most fulfilled individuals in the world. The choice remains with
each of us as to whether we will follow God’s direction, and be one who not
only sows good things, but does so plentifully.
http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion
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