Continuing in Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth that we call 2 Corinthians, we find a couple of verses that are notable for containing a couple of often-quoted passages (sometimes out of context, in my opinion).
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.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV
While I think that this passage is valid on its own, let’s learn from the fact that it appears in a request from Paul for the Corinthian church to give in a specific situation: 1) out of their abundance, 2) to another church in need, and 3) as the Corinthians had previously committed (see verse 5).
On the face of it, verse 6 is a point that farmers and gardeners already know: if you sow just a little bit of seed, you are going to get – at best – a smaller harvest. If you sow a lot more seed, you can get more crops.
In light of the kinds of generosity that have been reviewed over the past few articles, or other kinds of generosity that you have seen shared in Jesus’ name, what else (besides literal seeds) do we sow and reap?
- When we give generously to a missionary (whether an individual or an organization), we can expect a greater number of people to learn about Jesus and accept His salvation.
- When we give generously to a church, we can expect it to better support others through its ministries, while also paying staff to teach us and lead us (and others).
- When we give generously of our time to help those who are hurting, we can expect them to feel more comfort, companionship, and joy.
- When we give generously of our skills to ministry, we can expect a watching world to see what it really means to follow Jesus, and for some observers to want to learn more.
- When we give generously of ourselves to God, following the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can expect an abundant life (as Jesus promised), and getting to be part of God’s amazing plans.
For the Corinthian church, generous giving to their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem should help the church in Jerusalem remain strong, so that it could continue to bless and serve others in Jesus’ name.
- This gift should result in the Corinthians receiving gratitude from those that they helped, and feeling good that they could return the favor for the gospel message that changed their lives (whether or not they had received the good news from specific people in Jerusalem).
- And, this generosity could result in their own faith growing, as they trust God to do a better job with their gifts than they would do if they kept them for themselves.
You might even be thinking of other benefits that could result from the Corinthian Christians being generous. How about us, though? Do we have expectations when we give? I’m not saying that we expect to get something in return – that’s more like barter than generosity. Instead, do we expect that our investment in others will bless them, help them grow in their faith, grow closer to God, or bring glory to Him? I think that it’s appropriate to have some expectations about God-led generosity making a difference for good. Furthermore, it’s also motivating to expect those things.
And, when we don’t see how God could (or does) do good things as a result of our generosity, that’s where our faith in Him has an opportunity to grow even stronger, along with our confidence that He does work things for good (as captured in Romans 8:28, although even that verse itself exists as part of a larger context).
So, let’s not look at generosity as the end of the line. Let’s consider each opportunity to share as another step in our own faith, and just the start of what God will do through our obedience!
From Sunday School lesson prepared for May 26, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, May 26, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 2 Corinthians, by William R. Baker. © 1999 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 