Don't save it; sow it

2 Corinthians 9:10

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁰ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity^[a] in you.

If you don't sow it, God can't grow it.

One of the great lessons that I am so thankful for that I learned early in my Christian life is to be a giver. Being a giver is part of the nature of God.  That nature is part of our born again experience but it has to be developed in each of us.  It also has to be intentional. If you are not careful, your natural mind will reason you out of giving more times than you can imagine. Therefore, you have to practice giving until it becomes your norm.

When we think about giving it helps to broaden our mind.  Many times people think that if they do not have money to give, then they have nothing to give.  This is not true. We must be willing to give of our time, talents or non-financial assets.  God can use anything to bring you a harvest.  The illustration in our text says that God gave the farmer seed and then bread to eat. You must admit that if the farmer would have put actual money in the ground he would have never received anything.  But God gave the farmer exactly what he needed to sow to get the kind of harvest that he expected. The kind that would meet his need.

The same is true for you.  Our text says, "In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you." Whatever God has given you to sow, sow it and watch God increase your resources.

There are three attributes that are common in true givers.  One is that they give without thinking. In other words they give before they can think themselves "out" of giving.

Secondly, a true giver understands that everything that they own, they don't really own.  It belongs to God and he has chosen them to be managers and stewards over his assets. As you come to believe this, it makes it so much easier to give things away.  After all, it is much easier to give away something that belongs to someone else.

Finally, a true giver never has lack.  Their needs are always met.  Why? Because it is a kingdom principle.  It is the law of reciprocation. God provides you with a seed. You plant the seed.  Or as I like to say it, "you put the seed to work".  You give it a place where it can thrive.  The seed will in turn produce a great harvest.  Great resources.  Enough to do more than meet your need. It produces enough for you to give more.

What seed has God given you? Are you sowing it or saving it?