Today is called “Giving Tuesday,” and if you have an email address you’ve probably already been inundated with requests, promises and offers. No, this is NOT another one.
The creators of Giving Tuesday call it a worldwide celebration of generosity. They intend Giving Tuesday as an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity in all its forms by sharing acts of kindness and giving their voice, time, money, goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes. But all of the requests I’ve received referencing Giving Tuesday are for money. Those requests are almost always “suggesting” a small, medium, large, very large or “other” donation be sent for Giving Tuesday. That’s their approach to answering the question “How much do you want?”
My question to you is the same. How much do YOU want?
How much forgiveness? How much joy? How much peace?
All of those things are available to you in Christ. All of them, and many more. He has given them to you, and He did it way before Giving Tuesday was created in 2012. He has gifts He wants to place into your hands.
Today’s verse reminds us of the law of sowing and reaping. It says THE AMOUNT YOU GIVE WILL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT YOU GET BACK.
You cannot reap if you do not sow. If you want forgiveness, you must choose to forgive.
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. That’s how Paul put it with the church in Corinth. He went on to remind them that God Himself is the one who provided them with the ability to be generous in every way. He said that He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food would both supply and multiply their seed for sowing and increase the harvest of their righteousness. It is much more than their physical resources that would be blessed, they would see an increase in the harvest of THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Paul said they would be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.
ENRICHED in every way, to be GENEROUS in every way.
Imagine something with me. What if you were rich? I mean “can’t even count it” rich. So rich you make Bill Gates and Elon Musk look like homeless guys on a street corner. THAT rich! How would that impact your giving??
Your unlimited financial resources would allow you to be incredibly generous, of course. And you’d certainly want to be wise about what you gave and to whom it was given; because abundance is not an excuse for irresponsibility. But your financial position would change the way you looked at the needs around you. You’d develop an eye for the right sort of giving opportunities, and then be deliberate about making a difference.
If it is Christ Himself who is supplying you – you ARE already rich in many ways. You have an unlimited supply of grace, forgiveness and love; He is your constant and unlimited source. Invest it in the lives of those around you. Your family, your neighbors, your friends and work colleagues. Be wise, of course; because abundance is not an excuse for irresponsibility. But please do let Christ change the way you look at the needs around you. Develop an eye for the right sort of giving opportunities, and then be deliberate about making a difference.
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.
You are already rich, if you are in Christ.
In the world, people often focus only on financial resources to define wealth. Even as Christians we can get caught up in looking at our lack of financial means and convince ourselves that we have nothing to give. The one who tells you that you have nothing to give is the father of lies. He only wants to stop your SOWING so that he can limit your REAPING. Don’t listen to him.
GIVE !!! Give love. Give grace. Give compassion. Give forgiveness. Give whatever He has placed within you.
THE AMOUNT YOU GIVE WILL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT YOU GET BACK
