2 Cor 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
2 Cor 9:1-15 is a marvelous commentary on sowing and reaping as well as the principles behind generous giving. The full impact of this teaching more clearly comes into view if read in modern translations. Apparently a year before the Corinthian churches had made a type of pledge to send a generous offering to the church in Jerusalem. Paul thanked them and told them how that their giving had encouraged others to follow their example. Now he mentioned that he would send an “advance” party to ensure that the offering was indeed gathered and all preparations were completed before his arrival with some of the Macedonian believers.
Verses 6-8 lay down spiritual laws regarding giving. He makes the comparison of a farmer who can expect to reap according to the amount that he first sows into the soil, similar to the secular expression, “little ventured, little gained”. Clearly a farmer’s harvest is dependent upon how much seed he plants in the soil. So too believers can expect to reap according to the amount that they sow in their giving. Paul goes on and exhorts that each believer has the right and privilege to determine how much they give and that there should be no pressure or compulsion in the act of giving. He finishes stating that God particularly loves “cheerful givers” who have given from the heart, not in response to the pressure of rules imposed by other men! He sums up this teaching by promising that God’s Grace will abound toward those who obey in this area of Christian Life and that they will live in abundance.
Verses 10-11 expand to include God’s Provision in the acts of sowing, reaping and giving. In verse 10 we see that God provides two things to the believer. First, we see God supplies the seed that is to be sown into the harvest. Next, food or personal provision is given to the sower for his personal daily needs. The two words in the English NIV are “seed” and “bread”. There may be some confusion regarding these being two separate entities, but both are provided by God for the believer. This principle can be made clear by looking closely at the natural sowing and harvest. A certain amount of seed from a field must be set aside and kept for the next year to be planted. If those seeds are all consumed, eaten and used up then there will be nothing left over to plant. This will result in a greatly diminished harvest and loss of bread that is meant for personal consumption.
I want to suggest that in His Sovereign Will, God provides every believer, minister, local church, ministry and denomination two basic elements. The first is seed for sowing into the harvest field. It may include financial means, human resources, gifts, talents, and other intangible assets. This portion is not intended to be “consumed” by the individual or group for their own personal benefit. Yes, this could be compared to, but not limited to the tithe that was to be set apart to be distributed as God directed for the ministers and ministry of the tabernacle or temple. Secondly, God also gives us our “daily bread”. This is not just food! This encompasses all that we need to maintain our life, including both needs and wants. An organization needs funds to operate and to maintain staff and truly essential programs and functions. There is a danger and even temptation to consume God-given assets that are intended to be used purely for sowing and ministry to the lost or hurting world both among and around us. This is a tough call and not easy to determine in each case what is “seed” and what is intended as our personal “food”.
In North America, we often hear about charitable organizations using far too much income on their administrative needs rather than their advertised purpose. If you organize in order to “feed the children” then the far greater amount of funds received should go for that purpose with only the truly necessary amount for buildings, salaries and administration. In our personal lives it more difficult to determine how much of our income, talents and gifts are to be enjoyed personally rather than being channeled to “minister” to others in the harvest field of the world. I believe we can be better stewards of all God has entrusted to us if we take the view that a portion is intended to be used solely for sowing (ministry) with the remainder being for our personal use or consumption.
Verse 10 also indicates that God will both supply and increase the seed in our lives so that the spiritual harvest will be greatly enlarged. Going further Paul promises that we will then experience increase in our personal lives enabling us to be “generous” to others with those resources which will bring glory to God. To carefully separate the seed in our lives from our bread while sowing bountifully into the lives of others may cause us to prosper financially! God always is a God of order. We have to follow His priorities in order to be blessed in each area of our lives.
God bless you as you enjoy the “bread” He provides and then generously sow the “seed” He has entrusted to you into the world around you!
Dan Corbett
“Reaching One Among Millions”
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