Supracultural Principle 58 - Generous Blessings

BIBLICAL BASIS

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. - 2 Corinthians 9:6

Any farmer knows that if he sows seeds sparingly, he'll reap a small harvest. But if he sows seeds generously, he'll reap an abun­dant harvest. Paul used this agricultural fact to illustrate a truth about Christian giving. The analogy must be carefully inter­preted and applied, however, since Paul was referring not to quantity but quality. When it comes to giving, God doesn't measure the seed by how much is sown. Rather, he measures how much is sown by what is available to sow. Paul was applying the same principle Christ taught when he talked about the widow in the temple whose coin was counted as more than other larger gifts because she had given sacrificially rather than out of plenty.

Serious error can arise from misinterpreting Paul's statement. Some believe he was teaching that God promises material pros­perity. Yet nowhere in the New Testament are Christians taught that if we give, we will automatically and always gain earthly abun­dance. Rather, our giving is to be motivated by an unselfish heart that is willing to share unconditionally with those in need, regard­less of the monetary return.

Supracultural Principle 58

Generous Blessings

If we give generously, we will receive generous blessings; if we’re not generous in our giving, we won’t receive generous blessings.

Biblical generosity involves proportional and sacrificial giving. The Macedonians gave out of their poverty, which was very little in terms of quantity. But in God's sight, it was indeed generous.

God's blessings in response to generous giving also include more than material possessions. The blessing may be, for example, seeing others respond generously because we've been an example. There's always joy and satisfaction in knowing we've helped someone else draw closer to God and walk in his will more faithfully.

The greatest blessing, however, will come in eternity when we hear our Savior say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"(Matthew 25:21). When we take our crowns and the rewards we've received for our faithfulness and place them at the feet of Jesus-expressing our love for God all over again-we will be rewarded beyond anything we can anticipate or comprehend while on earth.

Extracted from Dr Gene Getz’s Rich in Every Way