Reaping What You Sow

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

In our conversation on Sunday, during the first service, our conversation turned to whether or not we always get what we deserved. It was prompted by the observation that Haman died in the same manner that he had planned to kill Mordecai. The language of "you reap what you sow" was brought up. Unfortunately, in that moment, I could not recall the exact passage or the precise wording of the passage.

As you can see above, the passage in question was written to the church in Corinth. In the context, Paul is encouraging the church to be generous in their support of other Christians in need. Very quickly, here are three important notes about what Paul is saying:

1. The first phrase is proverbial in form. It is wisdom, drawn from the reality of farming, and not always a universal truth. Sometimes a farmer might sow generously and, due to drought, they will reap sparingly. But generally, the point is this . . . if you don't plant the seed, don't expect to get the harvest. And proverbially that is true. But notice that Paul is really only using this proverb in a setting where he is doing good. He does not move to, "And if you do evil to others . . . look out because you'll suffer in the same way!" Even if this is proverbially true, too, Paul doesn't go there here.
2. As much as Paul is encouraging generosity, he is not trying to manipulate to get people to give. He wants giving to be done after consideration and reflection, not out of guilt or compulsion. His hope and, he claims, God's heart, is that we would find joy in generosity.
3. His invitation to generosity is rooted in his confidence of God's ability to provide us what we need. Not to get wealthy. Not even to "be comfortable." But to provide what we need, so that . . . we will abound in every good work.

Ultimately this proverb is not meant to get us looking for the harm that may come to us or to others because of what we have done. Rather it is an invitation to generosity, confident that God will enable us to always have what we need to do good work. This passage emphasizes using our blessings to bless others, rooted in a deep trust in God to help sustain that as our posture towards those around us.

I hope this brings some clarity - especially those who were in the first service on Sunday! And I hope it is an encouragement to you to keep up your generosity - with your time, energy, gifts, and - yes - even your money. May God give you joy in your giving!